


Lost and Found

by mysticalflute



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/F, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-26
Updated: 2016-09-13
Packaged: 2018-05-23 07:20:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 25
Words: 44,500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6109303
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mysticalflute/pseuds/mysticalflute
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Emma Swan has run from Minnesota and Ingrid, her foster mother. Lost in Chicago, she meets Neal Cassidy, another runaway teen with a longing for a home, and decides to travel with him. Together, the two teens make a decision: Either they find their home, or they become each others home.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Run

Fear wasn't a new feeling to Emma, having been through many foster homes with various degrees of success, but this sort of fear was something else, and if there was one thing Emma Swan knew how to do, it was run.

Before when she'd run from a foster home, it was because she was being ignored, or malnourishment, or some other type of mistreatment. All of the adults involved were viewed as crazy, in her young mind, because, how could anyone treat another person, especially a child, in the way she was treated?

Never had she run because she actually thought they needed to be locked up in a psych ward. Not like this time.

This time, Emma Swan was running because Ingrid was completely and utterly insane. None of her other foster homes had ever shoved her in front of a moving car, expecting her to do magic like Harry Potter in order to stop it.

She'd hoped Ingrid would be the last home for her, the place where she would finally find a happy ending, but Ingrid had to go and destroy that dream when she'd lost her mind and started babbling on about Emma having magical powers.

So she had run. She knew Ingrid would be stunned, would probably be delayed in following her. She had time to run back and grab some things before she was on the lamb again. Hopefully for the last time. She was already sixteen after all. In high school, yet old enough to get a job.

She could make a start of it on her own.

So that was what Emma did.

She grabbed what little she could from Ingrid's house and ran to the bus station, buying a ticket to the next bus to Chicago.

Emma supposed she should have felt bad about running, and she knew that there was a chance the other kids in the house could be in danger from Ingrid, but Emma was so scared of her, she didn't want to ever see her again. She hoped the other kids would be safe though. Even Kevin, and he'd made her first day there a living hell.

Resting her head against the bus station's glass wall, Emma sighed. She hadn't wanted to run away, not really. Not after knowing that Ingrid was going to adopt her, but what other choice did she have? Ingrid had shoved her in front of a car and started babbling about her using magical powers to try and stop the car.

No normal people did that. Even her worst foster home hadn't done such a thing to her, so why would Ingrid have done the same thing, when she'd been so nice to Emma up until that point?

"4:20 bus to Chicago, now boarding," the voice said over the loudspeaker.

Emma grabbed her bag and boarded the bus, finding a seat closer to the back, her head down, buried in a book her friend had gotten her for Christmas, just in case Ingrid managed to show up before the bus left.

Thankfully, she didn't. And soon, like with many, many other foster homes, Richfield Minnesota soon became a distant memory.


	2. Neal

Chicago, Illinois

Emma sighed as she finished clearing off the table in front of her. Working here wasn't her favorite thing to do, but it was a job and it paid her, so she wasn't going to complain about it. Besides, no one questioned it, and while she wasn't getting paid in the most legal of ways, Emma wasn't going to say anything about it.

And if he did, well, she would just run again. She still wasn't sure exactly where she was going in Chicago, but she would get by. As long as she avoided cops or whoever was after her, she'd survive somehow.

She always did, after all.

"Swan! I need you to take out the trash, it's getting full again," her boss called from the kitchen. She sighed a little as she finished clearing off the table she'd been working on. It was a Saturday – always a busy day for the restaurant, but with the fourth of July coming up, people were eating out because they had to entertain relatives from out of town and didn't feel like cooking, making her job harder.

But it kept her busy, knowing she wouldn't have anyone to celebrate with. It was funny. Months ago she thought she would be celebrating with Ingrid, but then she had to go crazy and scare her away.

The woman sitting at the table cleared her throat, and Emma looked over at her. "Oh – uh, yes ma'am?" she asked curiously.

"I just wanted to thank you for being so quick at clearing our plates. We don't usually get service like this in New York and you are just great," the woman told her with a wide smile, before sliding a bill into Emma's hand. "Here. Just a little something extra for you."

Emma stared, looking down at the twenty-dollar bill in her hand. "T-thank you so much," she whispered, quickly shoving the bill into her pocket and hurrying back to the back room to take out the garbage. Grunting as she dragged the bag out the door, Emma stumbled, falling to the hard pavement as she misjudged the distance to the dumpster.

"Hey, are you alright?" a voice asked, and Emma froze. What the - ?

Turning around, she saw a boy not much older than herself standing at the edge of the alley.

She sat up quickly, dusting her hands off. "Yes, I'm fine. Who are you?"

"My name's Neal," he said, looking at the bag. "Those more scraps from today?"

She nodded slowly. "How'd you guess?"

"They've been coming out earlier and earlier recently," he said with a shrug.

Emma blinked, eyes widening with understanding. "You eat them, don't you?"

Neal nodded slowly, but looked away, ashamed at her hitting the nail on the head. "Yeah. I do. Well, we do actually."

"We?" she asked with a small frown.

"The group of us. There's a group of homeless – you know what? I shouldn't say anything. You might tell the cops."

"Cops? Wait, you're on the run from the cops?"

"Some of us are. Others are on the run from foster homes, or regular homes and some just don't like homeless shelters," he explained with a shrug, reaching for the bag.

"H-how many of your are there?" she asked. She barely knew Chicago, and if there was a group of people like her… even though she did better on her own, maybe she could learn from them, at least a little while.

"Only ten, but we couldn't be too big or the cops would get suspicious you know?" Neal told her.

She nodded slowly.

"SWAN! Where the hell are you?!" the manager suddenly yelled, and Emma jumped.

"Oh God, I need to get back to uh, work. But we close in an hour and I know there'll be better scraps leftover if you want to come by then," she told Neal. "But for now I guess you can take what you need here."

He nodded quickly. "I'll look through it when you get back inside," he whispered, ducking back behind the dumpster. "We'll meet back here tonight?"

Emma nodded shoved the bag behind it with him, slamming the dumpster lid shut as if she'd thrown the bag in there. "COMING!" she called back, rushing into the restaurant, the door closing behind her.

That night, as the last of the employees left for the day, Emma carefully boxed up some of the leftover food for the day, stacking them up and putting them in an assuming garbage bag. They weren't allowed to box food up like this, but Emma knew if there were other people like her, they needed food. Proper food, not the scraps from a restaurant.

"Goodnight Marcus!" she called to the owner. "I'm going to take this last bag of trash out!"

"Goodnight Emma, and thanks for your work today!" the man called back.

Emma smirked a little, closing the door behind her as she dragged the bag behind her.

"Pst! Neal! Are you here?" she whispered, carefully walking through the alleyway.

The brunette's head popped out from behind the dumpster. "Here," he whispered, and she smiled.

"I got something better for you. The chef had a ton of leftover lasagna and garlic bread. Even salad!" she said. "I boxed them up, wasn't sure what anyone liked so…"

He grinned. "You're a genius. Really you are," he told her, leading her down the alleyway to an abandoned building. "So here we are. Hey guys! Come on out! This is the girl I told you about!"

Five girls and four boys stared up at her as she gave them an awkward wave. She wasn't used to having a group of homeless teenagers, but she supposed it was better than nothing, for now, anyway. She would see what the future brought.

"I brought dinner if anyone's hungry," she said.

"Dinner? No way," one said.

"Does anyone like lasagna? Garlic bread? Salad?" she questioned, pulling the boxes out. "I work at a restaurant so…"

"You work?" one girl asked.

"Yeah…" she said, opening the box in her hand to show the garlic bread.

That seemed to do it, and everyone scrambled for the boxes, ripping them apart to use as plates and rifling through whatever supplies they had for cutlery (which Emma had been unable to grab for them – they didn't use plastic at the restaurant).

Neal took a seat next to her as they ate.

"So… what's your name anyway?" he asked. "I never got it."

"Emma," she said with a small smile. "Emma Swan."

"Well Emma, welcome to the Lost Kids," he said, a glint in his eye that had Emma blushing softly in confusion and curiosity.


	3. Escape

Ingrid walked with purpose into the diner, her head high as she gazed around for Emma.

"Sorry lady, we're closing," a gruff voice said.

"I'm not looking to eat. I'm looking for someone," the Snow Queen replied as she looked at the man. "I'm looking for Emma Swan. Could you tell me where she is?"

"I don't divulge information on my workers. Privacy and all. Especially not on Emma."

Ingrid frowned at the man. "What? Why not? She's my foster daughter and she ran away. You must tell me where she is."

"I don't have to tell you anything about Emma unless you got a cop with you. I'm sorry, but you have to leave." As he spoke, he kept moving closer to Ingrid, forcing her to move toward the door, aghast at what the man was saying. How dare he not give her information on Emma? Didn't he understand how important it was that she get Emma back?

No, of course he didn't. No one in this world did.

"We know Emma," a voice from one of the booths said, and the blonde turned quickly.

"You do?"

"Sure, but what are you gonna give if we tell you?"

It had been a few months since Emma had joined up with the Lost Kids (a name that Neal refused to say in public for a reason she still didn't know), and Emma had to admit, it was fun. They were nice people, they were all on the run from someone, and they'd promised to not rat out each other. It was, well, blissful in Emma's opinion.

Still, she remained on her guard. Except, somehow, around Neal. She wasn't sure what it was, but she was drawn to the man. And she could say man, because she found out that he was nineteen, but, he'd been almost elected leader of the Lost Kids (though he hadn't chosen the name, according to Alex, another Lost Kid) and he hadn't wanted to leave right away because he didn't know where else to go.

He found them to be family, and while Emma wasn't sure if she thought the same, it was close enough to a family, the only family she had, really.

She sighed as she walked in from her day at work. She'd made decent money, with it being near Halloween and all, but she wasn't sure if she liked having to split her money with everyone. After all, she did want to get a place of her own and not live on the streets, especially when she got to be an adult. She couldn't live on the streets all her life. She might know how to take care of herself on her own, but that didn't mean she wanted to be homeless while she was doing it.

"Hey Emma," Neal called. "How was work?"

She shrugged and sat next to him. "It was alright. Same old same old, I guess."

Neal looked tense, and Emma frowned slightly. "You alright?"

"Hm? Yeah, I'm fine, why wouldn't I be?" he replied, looking around the room, and Emma could tell he was trying to be inconspicuous.

"You look nervous," she said softly. "I know I haven't been here very long but – "

"No, no it's not you. It's just… it's the anniversary of when I ran away from home and it just hit me that it's been five years since I've seen my dad, that's all," he said with a sigh.

"Rough childhood? I understand that," Emma replied.

"It's more than just that. It just… took me so long to find this place, but not even here feels like home anymore. Home was with my papa, my dad."

"You miss it?"

He nodded. "When you find a place that gives you that feeling of home and you leave… you just miss it in the end," he said as he finished his pizza.

Emma nodded slightly. It must have been nice to have that feeling. "I had that once… but then she pushed me in front of a car and told me to do magic," she said with a soft sigh.

She saw Neal tense slightly before he spoke. "Sounds rough," he replied. No wonder you ran off. I hope you're feeling safer here."

She nodded. "I am, thanks…"

She wondered why he even left his father to begin with. Emma opened her mouth to ask when all of a sudden, Ali burst into the room.

"Neal, there's a mutiny!" he said. "There's a woman looking for Emma. And the others have agreed to give her up. She's paying loads. Two hundred bucks each."

Neal stared, and Emma felt the color drain from her face.

"I-Ingrid…" she whispered.

"Emma?" Neal asked, already standing up and moving around.

"Ingrid. S-she's my old foster mother. I ran away from her when she lost her mind. I – I didn't think she'd find me!" Emma replied, standing up and grabbing her things. "I need to go. I'm sorry Neal."

"We'll get you out of here. Don't worry."

"No. How can I trust that you two won't betray me?" she spat, shoving the money she'd earned (and the money she'd split with the Lost Kids) into the pillowcase of her things.

"Ali came and told us, and I have a car that we can use. Ali's the only one that knows about it," Neal replied, as he and Ali packed up their own bags. "Besides, if we were going to betray you, would we be trying to figure out how to get you out of here?"

She paused. He had a good point. He and Ali hadn't gone running to Ingrid at the wave of some money like the others had.

"Wait, you have a car?" she asked. "Since when?"

"Since I… stole it in Portland," he muttered. "Look, we gotta go. Ali, keep watch. I'll bring the car around."

Ali nodded and hurried to the door as Neal and Emma snuck out the back entrance.

Ali was used to looking out for people that were hunting them down. Maybe not the Lost Kids, but people. He knew what he was doing. The fact that his friends were betraying Emma like this, well, it made his stomach turn. Emma had done something great for them, and none of them were willing to do the same for her.

All because someone had dangled two-hundred bucks in front of them.

He sighed and hid behind an unassuming barrel, his small bag of things tucked safely between his legs. He had been suspicious of some of these kids from the moment he and Neal started this gang, really. Some of them he knew were desperate to stay hidden, to stay alive, but he wasn't surprised to find out that Steven had been the one to rat them out. He was trouble from the start.

As the door crashed opened, Ali tensed, eyes not leaving the doorway as shadows began pouring into the room.

"Emma?!" a blonde woman – Ingrid, Emma had called her – shouted. "Emma where are you?!"

Ali waited, watching as everyone moved further into the old warehouse, as he pressed himself against the wall, waiting for the perfect moment to slip out.

The woman looking for Emma didn't seem so bad, but there was something… off about her, he noticed as she walked around the room.

Something almost magical.

Ali's eyes widened. Emma couldn't be involved in all of that, could she? No, no, that wasn't possible.

Then again, why would the magical woman be looking for her?

Ali bit his lip, part of him wishing he could ask her what was up with that, but knowing he couldn't, and the moment everyone was ripping the Lost Kids headquarters apart looking for Emma, he slipped out the door with no one noticing.

Emma gasped as she and Neal stopped in front of a yellow VW beetle a few blocks away from the Lost Kids headquarters. "How'd you get this?"

"I told you, I stole it when I was in Portland, but don't worry, I got it all cleared. Come on. Get in the back seat and cover yourself with that blanket. I'll put your stuff in the trunk," Neal said, taking her bag and tossing it in the trunk as she climbed into the back seat, covering herself as he asked.

"I don't know how to thank you for this, Neal, really. But where are we going to go?" she asked.

"Out of here, for now. I'll drive for a few hours and we'll regroup. East or west, Emma?" he asked as the car was turned on.

"East. I don't care where, but East." Michigan, Indiana, Ohio. It didn't matter. She didn't want to go back to Minnesota.

She shrieked as there was suddenly pounding at the door.

"Emma, it's okay. It's just Ali," Neal said, unlocking the door, and she heard Ali jump in, carefully placing his things on the floor next to her head. "So who is she?"

"Tall, blonde, walked with the grace of magic or royalty or something," she heard Ali say as the car quickly pulled onto the busy Chicago streets.

"That's her. Ingrid."

Ingrid had come so close to finding her, and Emma shook as she stayed hidden under the blanket until they were well outside the Chicago city limits.

"It'll be okay Emma," Neal said. "We won't let her get to you."


	4. August

"She pushed you in front of a what?" Neal asked, staring at Emma as if she'd grown another head.

"She pushed me in front of a car because she thought I was going to do magic. It was an old machine, one of those claw grabber things, you know? Of course it's going to spark sometimes," Emma replied, sighing in frustration as they sat in an Ohio diner a few days later.

Neal frowned a little, and Ali stared at her.

"I really shouldn't have given her a copy of Harry Potter for her birthday," Emma said as she sipped at her lemonade.

"That's insane. Although how cool would it be if we could do magic like Harry Potter?" Ali said, and while Emma did think it would be cool to do magic, since Ingrid had shoved her into traffic, she hadn't touched the book since.

"Yeah, pretty insane," she replied with a weak smile.

They had been on the run for two weeks. Her birthday had come and gone, and Thanksgiving was coming up soon. All she needed to do was evade Ingrid for another year, until she was eighteen, and the woman would never be able to legally drag her back to Minnesota.

Just another year.

Emma swallowed the last bite of her food before sighing again. "So where are we going to go now?" she asked quietly, glad the diner wasn't packed with people.

"Where do you want to go?" Neal asked.

Emma paused. "I don't know. Just not west."

Neal looked down at the table and grinned as he noticed the kid's table cloth was a map of the country. "Close your eyes and pick," he said.

"Neal –"

"Come on."

Emma rolled her eyes slightly before smiling and closing her eyes, pointing to a random spot on the map in front of her.

"Open," he said.

She did, and smiled as she noticed her finger was pressed against Florida. "Tallahassee?"

"Tallahassee it is," Neal said.

Emma smiled a little. "Is it near a beach?"

"Well sure, it's Florida. Everything's near a beach," Neal replied with a laugh. "But listen, if we go, I… I kinda want to stop this whole… Bonnie and Clydes act. We need to start over. Be normal. Especially if your wicked foster mother is looking for us."

She nodded grimly. "Ingrid never did like summer," she said with a shrug.

No more Bonnie and Clydes act. The three of them would be starting a new life, together, somewhere safe and away from Ingrid.

Although, Emma couldn't help but feel butterflies in her stomach when she looked at Neal. She felt like her heart was going to explode whenever he smiled at her.

He had the nicest smile she'd ever seen.

And it was with horror and a bit of fear, that Emma realized she actually had a crush on him.

She quickly reached for her lemonade again, taking a long drink of it as Ali told some joke that she only just managed to chuckle softly at. If she didn't let anything slip, Neal would never know she had a crush, and everything would be safe, right?

Right.

"Emma, are you alright over there?" Ali asked, waving a hand in front of her face, and she jumped back, the ice rattling in her cup.

"Oh, yeah, I'm fine. I was just thinking… how are we going to survive in Tallahassee? I mean, none of us have jobs and if we give up our little act – "

Neal and Ali exchanged impish glances, and she raised an eyebrow at them. That was never good.

"Well you see Emma… we have an account," Neal started, his voice low, "from one of our earlier heists. Twenty thousand dollars."

She stared at them. "You guys have twenty grand and you… were living on the Chicago streets? Why?" she asked.

"We only recently got the money," he said. "Remember when I was gone for a couple of weeks?"

She nodded.

"I was up in Canada, getting the cash and getting the bug legalized," Neal explained. "I was waiting to see what happened with the others before I told anyone but Ali. You know, who I could trust and all."

She nodded again slowly. "That was smart. Really, really smart… and yet you're willing to share some of it with me?" she asked, genuinely touched.

"Yeah, of course."

"But why?"

Neal exchanged a glance with Ali, though Emma could tell they were trying to hide it.

"Neal."

He sighed. "Have you ever felt drawn to someone? Not necessarily in the romantic sense but… in the sense that… you're supposed to be with that person for whatever reason?" he asked.

She frowned, trying to think, before she nodded slowly. "I… feel that way about you both," she said softly.

Although it might be in the more romantic sense with you, Neal, she thought to herself.

"It's weird though. I never thought I believed in fate… or destiny, whatever you want to all it," she said, tilting her head. "Not until I met you guys in Chicago."

Neal chuckled. "I can't say you're alone in that… feeling like you should be drawn to people is a weird thing."

Ali leaned against the bug and looked up at the Ohio sky as got some fresh air, away from the room at the motel the three of them had crashed at for the night. It was a cheap place, because they didn't want to spend much of the twenty grand on five start hotels before they even got to Tallahassee, but it was a nice place nonetheless. Although they were eating better, they still were still trying to be careful with the money. They all planned on getting jobs when they were in Tallahassee, but they still had a ways to go.

Neal and Emma had decided to share a room, and it didn't take a genius to realize they were more than just friends, despite Emma's protests against it whenever he tried to point it out.

He chuckled a little and looked at the twinkling sky, looking over at Neal as the man came out of the room.

"Emma's in the shower. Thought I'd give her some space."

"Good call."

They went silent for a moment, just leaning against the Bug, before Ali finally spoke.

"You like her, don't you?"

Neal went red in embarrassment. "What? No – and even if I did I shouldn't – "

Ali looked at him and raised an eyebrow. "Liar. You look at her like I look at – "

"Ali Ababwa? Really? I'd hope you'd have been more inconspicuous," a voice suddenly said, and Ali tensed, spinning toward the voice, a hand on the knife he carried with him at all times.

"Who's there? How did you know who I am?"

A dark haired man stepped out of the shadows, and Ali felt himself visibly relax.

"August, you son of a bitch, what are you doing here?"

August grinned and stepped off his motorcycle. "So you found her?"

They nodded slowly. "No thanks to you. You're lucky her psycho foster mother didn't find her while she was still in Chicago," Neal said.

The other man rolled his eyes in annoyance. "That's not my fault."

"You're lucky your nose can't grow in this world, Pinno," Ali replied. "Because we all know you weren't the best guardian angel for Emma."

August rolled his eyes. "That was out of my control."

"When you were younger, sure," Neal replied. "What did you want, August?"

"You need to leave. You both need to leave and let Emma continue this on her own."

Ali burst out laughing. That was probably the dumbest thing he had heard in days. Leave? They couldn't just abandon Emma like that. What sort of friends would they be if they left Emma like that?

And then he noticed August looked completely serious.

"Oh my God. You're serious. But you're insane. We can't leave Emma."

"You got her on the path to belief – "

"Yeah, and if we leave who knows what will happen! You're insane August. Absolutely insane. Why don't you just tell us what's going on and why Emma's so important?" Neal asked.

August always gave Ali a headache, and today wasn't an exception. He really shouldn't have ever started talking to the man. But they were both fairytale characters. He'd been separated from the Sultan, from Genie… from Jasmine.

"Where's Jasmine?" he asked. "You told me you'd find out where Jasmine was."

"She's in Maine. Like everyone else."

Ali frowned. "Who… is everyone else?"

"Everyone in the Enchanted Forest was cursed to this world. Why it picked Maine I don't know, but everyone that got swept up in it is here. My father. Emma's family – "

Neal's face suddenly blanched. "My father."

August nodded slowly. "Your father."

Neal exhaled slowly. "So… which one of us is going to be telling Emma we're not going to Tallahassee?"

"Wait – no. You can't go to Storybrooke now," August said, frowning deeply. "The curse isn't supposed to break until Emma's twenty-eighth birthday."

"What's wrong with breaking it early?" Ali asked. "If it means getting back to our loved ones and saving them from a curse, even if we're ten years early, I'm failing to see the issue."

"I – you just can't, alright?" August muttered, shuffling uncomfortably in his place. "Just don't." He looked at his watch. "I need to leave. You'll do what's right, I know it."

Ali snorted a little. "You told us to find Emma and make sure she was safe because she was important to something. Now you're telling us that our family is cursed in this world, and we can't go save them for ten years? You are out of your mind!"

But August had already gone, and he felt Neal's hand on his shoulder.

"No, Ali. I mean, yes he's out of his mind but – did you ever see the Pinocchio movie?"

Ali frowned and shook his head. "After I watched the bastardization of my story I did not want to see any others."

Neal sighed. "Pinocchio is a selfish person. It's in his nature when he's away from Gepetto and the Blue Fairy. I guess August isn't any different. But that doesn't mean we have to listen to him."

He nodded. "So what are we going to tell Emma?"

Neal grinned. "Just leave that to me."


	5. Storybrooke

"You want to go to Maine?" Emma asked, tilting her head in confusion. "What's in Maine?"

Neal exhaled shakily as they sat in their hotel room in Ohio. He knew that lying to Emma would get them nowhere, so he needed to tell her the truth.

"My father," he said. "I found some information on him and he's… he's there."

She stared at him. "Your fath – Neal, I thought you hated your father."

He nodded slowly. "I'm still angry with him, yes but… it's like I told you. Once you find a place that you call home, you just miss it."

"And this… Storybrooke… it's your home?"

Neal shook his head. "Not… exactly. It's where my father moved to after I ran off, I guess," he replied with a sigh. "I mean, if you don't want to go, I completely understand. I can take the bug to Maine and you and Ali can catch a plane down to Tallahassee," he offered.

Emma though, shook her head, frowning a little. "No. I don't want to do that Neal. If you want to go to Storybrooke Maine, we'll go to Maine. Especially if you're going to see your father again. You'll need back up and support."

He laughed a little, smiling at her. "Thanks Emma," he replied, slightly relieved she'd agreed to go with him. "And I'll make this up to you, I promise. When we leave we'll go down the Eastern seaboard and see all the sights. New York, Boston, Washington DC. All of it."

"Really? Oh Neal, that would be amazing!" She smiled, and Neal felt his heart begin to race in his chest. He liked when she smiled.

Dammit. Ali was right. He had feelings for Emma.

Taking a deep breath, he took Emma's hand, and she looked into his eyes.

"Emma… I – I really like you," he admitted.

She smiled. "I like you too, Neal."

"No, Emma, I mean – "

She giggled, and his heart lunched. "I know what you mean, Neal. And like I said… I like you too."

Neal smiled at her and leaned in, kissing her softly. He felt her return it, and he smiled into the kiss as he cupped her cheek before gently pulling away.

"Well… that was unexpected," he said with a smile.

She laughed. "Very unexpected… but I'm happy, Neal."

He smiled, kissing her again. "Good. Me too."

The rain pounded against the walls of the bug, and Emma shivered as she looked out the window. They had been driving for a couple days now, all three of them trading off and on, pulling over into parking lots to sleep at night. They didn't want to spend money on hotel rooms, because they all knew traveling down the east coast would be expensive.

"Are we almost there, Ali?" she asked, not daring to take her eyes off the road to make sure he was paying attention.

"Yeah, it should be right up here," he said, squinting as he leaned closer to the window. "There! Keep going straight Emma."

Emma took a deep breath, holding the steering wheel tight as they crossed the town line into Storybrooke. She exhaled in relief as they entered the town, pulling to park in front of a diner, the windshield wipers suddenly extremely loud as they all took a moment to pull themselves together after the rough drive.

"Everyone okay?" Neal asked, having been quiet while Ali and Emma dealt with the directions.

"Fine. Are you, Neal?" she asked.

He smiled and nodded. "Fine…" he said, though Emma could tell he was nervous about being here.

She smiled. "Good, I'm glad," she replied.

"Let's get something to eat then, I'm starving," she said. Now that her stomach was no longer in a knot from nervousness of driving in the storm, she realized how hungry she was. Once the storm had started, they hadn't stopped driving, wanting to get to Storybrooke as soon as they could.

"Yeah, come on," Ali replied, getting out of the bug and moving the seat up for Neal to get out of the back, before the three of them hustled into the small diner.

"Sit anywhere you like, I'll be right with you!" a waitress with dark brown hair and an incredibly short pair of red shorts called from the back of the diner.

The three of them slipped into a booth – Neal and Emma on one side, and Ali on the other side.

"Welcome to Granny's," the brunette waitress said, before frowning a little. "I don't think I've ever seen you around here."

"Oh, yeah, we just stopped in on our way down the east coast," Neal said.

The waitress gasped, before sighing. "Ugh, I'm so jealous of you guys. I would love to be able to go down the east coast. I really want to move to Boston one day, but someone won't let me." Her eyes darted over to the older woman behind the bar. "But Granny says I have to take over the diner and bed and breakfast when – well, you know."

"Wait, you guys have a hotel here? Do you think we could get a couple rooms?" Emma asked. "We're staying for the night, with the storm and everything."

The waitress nodded. "Yeah, I understand. The weather is crazy right now. I'll talk to Granny and get you guys some rooms. Three or…?"

"Two."

The waitress grinned a little. "Alright, two."

"Ruby! Stop chatting and get back to work!" the older woman called.

Ruby rolled her eyes. "Sorry. Do you guys want anything to drink?"

She took their order and walked off, leading them to look over the menu before the older woman walked over to the table.

"My granddaughter says you all need a couple of rooms?" she said with a smile. "Well the bed and breakfast is at the edge of town. As soon as you guys are done here I'd be happy to meet you there and get the reservation all set up."

The three of them smiled gratefully at the woman as Ruby returned with their drinks, and they relaxed inside the cozy diner, the storm ending just as they were getting ready to go to the bed and breakfast.

The bed and breakfast seemed very cozy and homey as well, and Emma smiled as Neal pulled up to it. "This place looks nice," she said. "Very old… but nice."

"Yeah… but that's what you get in these sleepy little towns," Ali replied from the back seat. "I'd say this place has looked like this since at least the 1800s."

She nodded in agreement as she stepped out of the car, moving the seat for Ali, who clambered out with much less grace than Neal had done when they had pulled up to the diner.

She snorted in amusement, taking Neal's hand as they went inside, where Granny was waiting for them.

"Alright, what are the names for the reservations?" she asked, shuffling behind the desk and pulling out the book.

"Emma Swan and – "

"Emma…" a voice suddenly said from behind them, and she saw Neal stiffen next to her, "what a lovely name."

Emma turned, frowning at the man and shrugging. "Thanks."

Granny though, seemed scared, ripping open a drawer and pulling out a large roll of money. "It's all here."

The man reached over to take the money, and that's when Neal snapped.

"Papa."

Everyone in the room froze – even Ruby, who had come down when she'd noticed the yellow bug pull up.

The man looked up at Neal, hand frozen just before it touched the money, staring as he saw Neal's face.

"Bae?"

"Hello Papa," Neal replied, and Emma could see the tension he was trying desperately not to show.

The man reached for Neal's face, patting it gently, as if trying to confirm that it really was this Bae person. Emma though, was worried. Why was this guy calling Neal Bae? Had Neal lied to her?

Emma could only stare between the two men with wide eyes.

Neal cleared his throat. "We should talk privately, Papa. Let Emma and Ali check in and get their rooms."

The man nodded, before reaching over to grab the money from Granny. "Thank you, Miss Lucas. Have a good night."

"Neal," Emma said. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"I'll be fine Emma, don't worry. Just unwind, okay?" he replied, pressing a kiss to her head, and she smiled, squeezing his hand.

"Okay."

Granny grabbed the key to their room, taking their names and handing she and Ali their keys.

"Welcome to Storybrooke."


	6. Reunion

"Bae – "

"It's Neal."

Neal stood in front of the bug, staring at his father with wide eyes. He'd thought, no, he'd hoped, that he would have had some time to prepare himself for the inevitable. But, his father had always been able to be at the right place at the right time.

Except when he'd dropped him down a portal of course.

"Neal, then. What are you doing here? How did you get here?" his father asked, pocketing the money and reaching to cup Neal's face again, which he allowed him to do.

"I met a man named August. He told me that everyone in the Enchanted Forest was cursed here. He told me to find a girl named Emma Swan. And I did, and now we're here."

His father frowned. "That girl is not twenty-eight."

He shrugged. "We found out everyone was cursed here and knew we needed to come here sooner."

His father nodded, drumming his chin on his fingers.

"You know this whole curse thing stinks of you, Papa," Neal said. "When I heard you and the rest of the Enchanted Forest residents were trapped here, there was only one thing I could think. You."

"The curse wasn't cast by me, Bae."

"Neal."

His father took a deep breath, and Neal could tell he was trying to calm himself down. "I didn't cast the curse. I swear. I was cursed too. When I walked into the bed and breakfast I didn't know who you were. If Miss Swan hadn't said her name – "

"Wait, you know about Emma?"

"Yes. Her parents had me locked away in a dungeon and asked me for help in trying to avoid the curse. When I told them… their end of the deal was to tell me her name. Her name was my trigger to snap me out of the curse."

"So it's broken for you…" Neal mused. "But not for anyone else."

"Oh no son. There is one person in this town who knows what's going on… and you need to protect Miss Swan, and yourself, from her," Rumpelstiltskin replied. "If she knows you're my son, there's no telling what she'll do."

Neal frowned. "Who is she? What did you do to her?"

His father looked around cautiously. "Get in the car, son. I don't know if her spy is out yet."

He stared, before getting into the bug, his father getting into the passenger's seat. "Papa, what did you do?"

"Nothing that hadn't already started B – Neal," his father replied. "Tell me… do you know the story of Snow White?"

Neal nodded, not liking where this was going.

"She is the Evil Queen… and Miss Swan's mother is Snow White herself."

Neal stared at him. "Snow White. Talking to birds, lived with dwarves, ate a poison apple Snow White is Emma's mother?"

His father nodded slowly. "Yes. A teacher by the name of Mary-Margaret Blanchard. I don't know how the curse is going to break, but Miss Swan is going to do it… and she deserves to have a relationship with her mother beforehand."

"Wait – where is her father then?"

He shook his head. "I don't know. I've heard rumors of a John Doe being in the hospital. It's possible that it's him. I know Snow White goes there often…"

Neal exhaled slowly, running a hand through his hair. "I'm still angry, you know. Every night I question how you could do that to me… but I need your help," he said. "How do I help Emma break the curse?"

"True Love's Kiss can break any curse," his father replied.

The nineteen year old frowned again. "So wait. I could have broken The Dark One's curse on you?" Did a child's love count as true love? Well, it should have, in Neal's mind.

"It's… possible you could have."

Neal sighed, resting his forehead on the steering wheel. "Dammit," he muttered. He could have broken his father's curse. They could have been together.

Then again, he wouldn't have been able to meet Emma.

Looking back over at his father, he exhaled slowly again. "Will you help me papa? Will you help me get Emma to believe in the curse and help her break it? I want her to find her family… she deserves it after her crazy foster mother hurt her."

His father nodded slowly. "Yes. I promise son. I will help as much as I can. But you know… most of this has to be done by her. We can help nudge her toward the truth, but she must be the one to believe in this in the end."

"Emma…" Neal said softly as he opened the door to the hotel room, closing it quietly behind him. "There's something we need to talk about."

She looked up and glared at him, and he visibly winced. She was mad. He understood though, she had every right to be angry with him, but then again, it wasn't like he could have said he was from the Enchanted Forest, and Baelfire wasn't exactly a common name in this world.

"Yes, Bae?" she replied.

"Neal. Please. I don't like that name."

Emma wrinkled her nose, frowning. "Why not?"

He shrugged helplessly and sat down in the desk chair. "It's short for Baelfire. Not exactly a common name in the world," sighing, he ran a hand through his hair. "I changed my name when I ran off so he couldn't find me, you know?"

Emma nodded slowly. "Yeah, I understand. It just seemed weird… he didn't even notice you at first."

"Well, it's been years since he's seen me. It makes sense to me," Neal replied as he pulled off his shirt. "Thanksgiving is in a couple of days. Where do you want to go for it?" he asked. "We can be in New York by then if you want."

Emma frowned a little, looking out the window. "You know… I told Granny we were staying for a week. I didn't know how this thing with your father was going to go so I figured… a week would be enough time. If you wanted to leave earlier we could, if not we can extend the reservation. She seemed really happy to have guests," she explained with a giggle.

Neal smiled. "Well… I think things are going to go okay with my father. If you want I can ask him if we can celebrate with him."

"Really? I'd like that Neal. I've never spent Thanksgiving with a boyfriend's family before," she said.

Then again, she'd never had a proper Thanksgiving at all either.

He leaned over and kissed her head. "Well, I'll make this the best Thanksgiving you've ever had. I promise."

As they got ready for bed that night, neither of them noticed the clock finally move – for the first time any Storybrooke resident could remember.

The next day, Neal woke up to Emma bouncing on the bed, looking at him eagerly, with a wide grin on her face.

He laughed a little and rubbed at his eyes. "What's got you so excited?"

"Let's go exploring the town," she said. "I've heard Granny's makes a mean breakfast special!"

He laughed louder and sat up. "You heard that from Granny, Emma. I'm not sure that exactly counts."

She snorted and pulled him off the side of the bed, to a yelp from him. "It totally counts! Besides, I'm starving. And I really do want to explore Storybrooke. This town as a – a magic about it that I've never seen before."

Magic. Yeah. That was an understatement in Neal's mind.

He rubbed at his eyes again and sat up, getting out of bed and heading into the bathroom to get ready.

As the two of them walked into the diner, they nearly ran into a rather severe-looking woman, with a red-haired woman following quickly behind her, her head down as she skittered to a stop.

"Er… sorry about that," Emma said as she looked at the woman.

"Yes, I suppose you should be," the woman sneered, before frowning. "Who are you?"

"Neal Cassidy and Emma Swan," Neal said quickly. "We've been driving down the east coast and decided to stay the night. It's a beautiful town."

The woman gave them a cold smile. "Yes. I guess you could say it's… like a fairytale."

Realization hit Neal then. This must have been Regina.

The red-haired woman suddenly cleared her throat. "Madam Mayor, it's 9:18. You're going to be late for your meeting with Mr. Gold," she said quietly.

That seemed to get the mayor's attention, and she looked behind her at her assistant. "Thank you Bellatrix," she said, before turning back to Neal and Emma. "Well. I hope you both enjoy your stay in Storybrooke."

He squeezed Emma's hand gently and nodded at the mayor, stepping out of her way as a shudder ran down his spine.

She had a feeling of dread inside of her. She knew this Emma Swan could be the Savior Rumpelstiltskin had warned her about. After all, it wasn't like anyone else could get into Storybrooke. Minus that father and son pair that had been swept up in the curse just as it was coming into effect, but even so. In the last almost eighteen years, no one had gotten in or out of town.

"Bellatrix," Regina said when the two of them entered her office. "Before I meet with Gold, I need you to get in contact with Sidney. Get him to dig up some dirt on our visitors."

As her darling sister nodded and shuffled out of the room to call Regina's loyal former mirror, Regina sat back in her chair and sighed.


	7. Mary-Margaret

They'd been in Storybrooke for a few days now, and Emma couldn't help but fall in love with the small town. Considering she was usually a city girl who thrived off the nightlife and noise, it was strange to feel so connected to a town they had only come to because of Neal's father.

Thanksgiving was tomorrow, and Emma would be spending the day with Neal and his father. They had offered Ali a place, but since they'd come to Storybrooke the guy had become… different. Like something was constantly irritating him. Emma wanted to figure out what was wrong, but he never wanted to talk about it. He refused to come to Mr. Gold's house for Thanksgiving too, even though the invitation had extended to him. Instead, Ali seemed to spend most of his time at a furniture store, chatting up the owner's daughter, Yasmine.

Typical.

Emma sighed and leaned back against the bench as she looked out at the waves gently crashing against the sand in front of her. While it wasn't the Gulf of Mexico, the beach in Storybrooke was very pretty. Then again, there wasn't much in the town that wasn't pretty.

Like the mayor had said, it was like a fairytale.

Although, like fairytales, things were starting to go bad. When she'd woken up that morning, the headline for the Daily Mirror had screamed out "TEENAGE RUNAWAY IN STORYBROOKE", complete with a (mostly false) story of how Emma was a delinquent thief who had no home and no one but Neal and Ali to care about her, and a devastated foster mother left behind in the dust.

The headline had made her sick, but even despite that, Emma wasn't sure if she wanted to leave. The only problem was, she didn't know where she would live after the reservation was up. Living with her boyfriend's dad would be kinda awkward.

She supposed she could stay in the back of the bug. Then again, with Storybrooke being such a small town, she wasn't sure how well that would work out.

Sighing again, she looked up at the sky.

"Hi!"

Emma looked down, startled at the small voice. She saw a little boy about four standing next to the bench, and she smiled a little at him. "Hi…" she said.

"I'm Eddy,"

"Well hi there Eddy. I'm Emma," she said. "Where's your mom or dad?"

"Right here," an exhausted sounding woman said with a sigh as she ran up behind her son. "Edward Sherwood, what have I told you about running off like that?"

"Sorry mommy," the little boy said with wide eyes. "I just wanted to say hi. You and daddy always say to be nice to new people."

The mother smiled and kneeled down next to him. "That's right, we do, but when he or I are with you, okay? I get scared when you run off alone." She stood, addressing Emma then. "I'm sorry about that. Did he bother you?"

"Oh!" Emma said with a smile. "No, not at all. He's very sweet."

The woman smiled. "I'm Molly Sherwood, and this is my son Edward. You must be one of the new people in town."

She nodded slowly. "Yeah… how did you know?"

"We don't usually get new people in town," the woman replied with a smile. "But I hope you're enjoying your time here so far. I own Sherwood Bakery in town if you ever want some fresh baked goods."

Emma smiled. "That sounds great. Thank you. You must be packed now since Thanksgiving is tomorrow."

Molly nodded. "You have no idea," she said, before looking at her watch. "I actually need to get back soon. I took lunch so I could see Edward and take him out of the house for a bit."

Emma gave her another small smile. "You're a good mother, using your lunch break to see your son," she told her.

Molly smiled. "Well thank you Emma. That was very kind of you to say. Come on Eddy. It was very nice to meet you Emma," she said, taking her son's hand before walking back toward the town.

"Hi Miss Blanchard!" she heard the young boy say, waving to a woman with short black hair that was walking along the beach.

Emma smiled a little, but she felt like she knew the woman. She wasn't sure what it was, because she knew she hadn't seen the woman before in her life, but there was something familiar there that had her walking up to the woman as Molly and Eddy left the beach.

"Kid's a real chatterbox, isn't he?" she said with a small smile as she watched Eddy.

The black-haired woman nodded and smiled. "He's a real sweetheart. I go to their bakery quite often and he's there a lot chatting away." The woman then looked at her. "You're Emma right?"

She blinked in surprise, but nodded. "How did you know?"

"Ruby's quite the gossip... and I saw the Daily Mirror headline. I'm Mary-Margaret," she said. There was something in her smile that made Emma feel more comfortable around her than she had any other adult woman she'd met so far. Even Ingrid. "And I'm sorry if I freaked you out."

Emma smiled and waved her hand. "Oh don't worry about it. I've heard in these small towns everyone knows everyone so… and it's hard to ignore a newspaper headline like that."

Mary-Margaret chuckled. "It's been a while since we had visitors. You three are the talk of the town."

Emma tilted her head. "How long has it been…?" she asked curiously, ignoring the part of them being the talk of the town.

The other woman frowned slightly as she thought. "Well… as long as I can remember."

She frowned a little. That answer had been a common one when she asked about various things in town. How long Regina had been mayor, how long Graham had been the sheriff, how long the clock had been frozen before she, Ali and Neal had come to town... it all just ran as suspicious to the seventeen year old.

"Right. Right," Emma said. "I've been getting that a lot since I've been here."

"Things don't change much in Storybrooke I'm afraid," the woman replied with another soft smile.

Emma smiled a little herself. "Yeah, I can imagine. You guys are so far away from anywhere that I bet it's hard."

Mary-Margaret shrugged. "It can be, when you don't have the right support. Like with anything, you know?"

Emma nodded. "I've never really had support. Neal and Ali were the first ones to really support me without anything going horribly wrong," she said. She wasn't sure why she felt so comfortable talking about this with this woman, but she did. "I've been running for so long… Storybrooke is the first place I've really felt at home. Which is weird considering I'm living in Granny's."

The woman chuckled. "I guess when you find that place, it doesn't matter where you're living, as long as you're there."

She nodded and smiled. "Yeah. Yeah I guess so," she replied.

"Would you like to join me on my walk, Emma?"

Emma smiled and nodded. "Sure, I'd like that a lot."

She and Mary-Margaret talked for hours, about whatever that came into their minds. Emma had never had anything like that before, even with Ingrid. Mary-Margaret felt like a combination of a mother and a sister.

Then there was the fact that they had the same colored eyes, down to the exact pigment. It was so strange, especially knowing that they'd never met, and while it did confuse her, it wasn't like she was uncomfortable around the woman.

As they sat inside Any Given Sundae, Emma smiled at the dark-haired woman. "So what do you do Mary-Margaret?" she asked curiously.

"I teach fourth grade," she said, "but I also volunteer at the hospital in my spare time."

Emma noticed a small amount of pink tinting Mary-Margaret's cheeks, and tilted her head curiously. "Oh? Is there something going on, Mary-Margaret?" she teased with a giggle.

Mary-Margaret shook her head quickly. "No. Well, it really shouldn't be, considering he's comatose. But he's very handsome."

"Who is he?" she asked curiously.

"No one knows. He's a John Doe. Doctor Whale and the other hospital workers have done everything they can think of, but nothing has come up. But he… is attractive, I have to admit. I don't know why I'm so drawn to him."

"Mary-Margaret, that's probably not a good thing. I mean, he could have a wife and family that the hospital is trying to find…" Emma said, frowning a little in worry.

Mary-Margaret shook her head. "Oh, no, I know that Emma. I would never do that. But he is attractive, despite that."

Emma's cell phone rang suddenly, and she jumped, putting her spoon in the cup of rocky road ice cream and pulling her phone out. "Neal…" she said softly, putting the phone to her ear. "Hey Neal, what's up?"

"Emma, where are you?" He sounded concerned, and Emma's heart leapt into her throat.

"I'm at the ice cream place, why?"

"It's Ingrid. She's here."

Emma paled, and immediately, she felt Mary-Margaret's hand on hers as she hung up, Neal promising they would come and get her soon.

"Emma, what is it?" the teacher asked.

"M-my foster mother. She-she found me. I'm sorry Mary-Margaret but I need to go. I need to leave Storybrooke." Her voice was full of hurt, because she didn't want to go, and it was clear to Emma that Mary-Margaret had caught onto that.

The woman frowned and stood. "Come on then. I'll make sure you get somewhere safe."

Emma stared up at the woman. "Really?" she whispered. "You'd do that for me?"

Mary-Margaret nodded. "Absolutely. You looked terrified while you were on the phone, and you don't deserve that. Where's Neal going to meet you?"

"Granny's."

Mary-Margaret wrapped a comforting arm around her shoulders as they left Any Given Sundae, making their way to Granny's.

Mary-Margaret made sure to get them a table far away from the windows, keeping an eye out for either Ingrid or Neal, and, when Neal and Ali showed up (after what seemed like hours to Emma), Mary-Margaret helped her into the bug.

"Emma, if you need anything, just let me know, okay? I'm at the hospital every day," she whispered quickly as Ali helped Emma duck under the same blanket they'd used in Chicago.

Emma nodded. "Thank you so much. I don't know how to repay you," she replied as the woman backed away from the car, and the bug sped off.


	8. Ingrid

"So, Emma, how are you enjoying Storybrooke?" Mr. Gold asked her as the three of them sat down to Thanksgiving dinner. She'd stayed the night at Mr. Gold's the night before because of Ingrid being in town, and it felt odd.

She shrugged helplessly. "I like it, for the most part…"

"Ah, yes… your foster mother. Neal told me about that when he got the call from your friend," the man replied, scooping another portion of stuffing onto his plate. "She must have been bad if you ran all the way to Maine."

Emma nodded. "She was. She pushed me in front of a car and asked me to do magic."

The man froze then, his face hardening. "She pushed you in front of a car? What sort of mother would do such a thing?"

"A terrible one," Emma muttered. Although Ingrid hadn't been bad in the beginning, but pushing a child in front of a bus was enough for Emma.

"And now she's presumably come to take you back with her," the man said, and, it was faint, but Emma could see something in his eyes. She couldn't tell what it was though, and so she quietly nodded instead of speaking up.

"I don't know what to do, Mr. Gold. I'm scared… and I don't get scared easily. I just don't want to go back with her, especially if she's going to push me in front of a car again," Emma admitted.

The man nodded. "Yes, of course you wouldn't want that. I might be able to help you actually, Miss Swan."

She stared at him. "Really? You would help me?"

He nodded. "Of course. No child should be in fear of their guardian."

Emma saw Neal's face contort into something she couldn't really pin down, before looking back at Mr. Gold.

"What's your plan, Mr. Gold?" she asked.

The look he gave her had a knot forming in her stomach.

Rumpelstiltskin leaned against the counter of Mr. Gold's pawn shop, wiping down a counter as he waited for Snow White's alter ego to arrive. He'd been observing her since his curse broke, to see what sort of person Regina had made her, and realized that she went to the hospital every day to check on a "John Doe".

Also known as her husband.

Rumpelstiltskin wondered briefly what the prince had done in order to acquire such a fate.

The belle tinkled, and he smiled as he saw the dark-haired woman enter the shop, her shoulders slightly hunched over, a stark cry from the Snow White he knew from the Enchanted Forest, and it really was a shame, because despite their differences, Rumpelstiltskin had admired she and her husband, although most of it was because they were the parents of Emma.

Which is exactly what brought her to his shop today.

"Mr. Gold? I got your message. Is everything okay?" the woman asked, looking at him with curious confusion.

"Yes Miss Blanchard, everything is just fine. But I do have a favor to ask of you…" he began. "Come, let's talk in the back so we have more privacy. Neal?" he called for his son, who appeared out of the back room.

"Yes Papa?"

"Could you keep an eye on the shop while Miss Blanchard and I talk?"

His son nodded. "Yes Papa, of course. Hello again, Miss Blanchard."

"Hello Neal. It's good to see you again."

"Thank you. Come, Miss Blanchard," he said, reaching out for the woman, who followed him into the back room. "Would you like some tea?"

The teacher nodded slowly. "Yes please, if you have some."

"Of course, dearie, of course." Slowly, Rumpelstiltskin began preparing two mugs of tea, before turning back to the teacher as they waited for the water to boil. One of the many downsides to the Land Without Magic was the fact that he had to wait so long for his tea, instead of just snapping his fingers and it was done.

"I didn't know you had a son, Mr. Gold… and what did you want to talk about?" the woman asked when he took a seat across from her.

"We are working on mending our relationship, there were some issues when he was a teenager," he replied, clearing his throat. "Well… as you are aware, Miss Swan is currently hiding from her former foster mother – a woman who is quite determined to get her back," he began. Ingrid had never been very subtle, or easy to deal with if you were her friend.

Mary-Margaret nodded slowly once again. "Yes, she told me a bit about it when I was helping her escape with your son."

He nodded, smiling a little. "Yes. Well, they don't want to leave Storybrooke, and it would be unethical for me to try to adopt my son's girlfriend. As she's one of the only people she trusts here… she was hoping that you would… if not adopt her, then at least foster her until she turns eighteen."

The woman stared at him. "Me? Emma wants me to – adopt her?"

"She does. She says you're the only one in Storybrooke that she felt a connection to. And after you helped protect her from Ingrid, well… that showed a mothering skill, putting a child above your own needs," he explained.

"I didn't – "

"You were enjoying your time with Miss Swan were you not? You could have left her to fend for herself. You helped to protect her, Miss Blanchard."

Mary-Margaret nodded, biting her lip. "I do have a spare room… and I did so enjoy the time I had with Emma…"

Rumpelstiltskin gave her a small smile. "She has that sort of air about her, doesn't she?" he replied with a small chuckle. "And I can help you with the paperwork. We can get this taken care of quickly. That is… if you accept."

Rumpelstiltskin observed the woman nibbling her lip as she thought. He knew bringing a child into one's home was a big deal, but if mother and daughter were reunited, well, the curse could be broken, they could get out of this wretched world, and his beloved Belle would be, well… Belle again.

Not this shy, meek character that only moved in and out of the library to her father's house.

"Well…" Mary-Margaret said. "I did promise Emma if she needed anything, she could come to me. And if she needs a mother, I would be happy to step in. Especially if it means keeping her safe from the other foster mother."

He smiled. "Spoken like a true mother, Miss Blanchard. I'll get started on the paperwork right away."

She smiled, though Rumpelstiltskin could see the nervousness in her eyes.

"It will be okay, I promise," he told her.

He'd even help her free of charge.

"Well, okay then Mr. Gold. Where is she?"

"She's at her room at Granny's. Neal dropped her off earlier today."

"Well alright. I guess I have to go pick up my daughter. Thank you for letting me know she needed help and allowing me to take her in," the woman said as she stood, grabbing her white sweater and putting it back over her pale skin.

"It's no trouble, Miss Blanchard. And it is you who should be thanked, for being willing to take Emma in until she turns eighteen," Rumpelstiltskin replied with a genuine smile. Part of him did feel good about reuniting a mother and daughter (with hopefully the father as well), but he wanted Belle back.

And he really wanted to see Regina's face when she realized the Savior was eleven years early.

Mary-Margaret wondered what she was getting herself into when she agreed to do this. She didn't know how to be a mother, especially to a teenager! She hardly remembered her own teen years, although she did remember that it was quite lonely. Perhaps that was something she and Emma would be able to bond over when they got home.

Home.

God, she'd have to put the sheets on the spare bed, make sure things were comfortable enough for Emma until they were able to get to the store to decorate the room to her liking. Then there was the issue of getting Emma back into school so she could graduate.

"Emma?" Mary-Margaret asked quietly as she knocked on the number that had been given to her by Neal as she'd left the pawn shop.

"Mary-Margaret, thank goodness," Emma whispered as the door was pulled open. "Neal texted me and told me you'd agreed. I can't thank you enough. Ingrid left ten minutes ago for the diner – Ruby told me. So is that enough time to get back to your… house?"

"Apartment actually," Mary-Margaret replied with a small smile, taking one of Emma's bags and leading her downstairs. "But I have a spare room, with a bed. Tomorrow we can go shopping to decorate it however you like."

Emma stared at her. "Really? But you've already done so much for me – "

"And you're my daughter now Emma. Of course you're going to have your own, personalized room," Mary-Margaret said as she led the teenager to her car.

"Emma?" another voice suddenly said, and Mary-Margaret felt Emma tense next to her.

"Ingrid," the girl responded, and Mary-Margaret put a protective hand on her shoulder as she gazed at the tall blonde woman. The woman that had scared Emma so badly, she'd felt the need to run away.

"I finally found you. Oh, I'm so glad you're okay. Come on. Get your things. We're going back to Minnesota," Ingrid replied.

"No."

The woman – Ingrid – stared at her. "What?"

"No, Ingrid. I don't want to go back with you. Mary-Margaret is my mother. Not you."

Mary-Margaret stood firm as the steely-blue eyes glared daggers at her. Clearly, this woman was obsessed with being a mother to Emma.

"But, Emma, we had so many good times together! Remember when we went to the amusement park? I had just showed you the papers that said I was going to adopt you. And then we played those games. You actually won something out of the claw machine!" Ingrid said.

"Yeah, and then you pushed me in front of a car and told me I could do magic. Magic is impossible, Ingrid! And you don't push children in front of cars. You just don't!" Emma shouted, and Mary-Margaret could see people peeking out from their homes, and even Granny was looking out from the curtains of the bed and breakfast.

It seemed the sudden attention flustered Ingrid, because of shouting a reply, she took a step back and glared. "Fine Emma. If you want to live with this… woman, then go."

Mary-Margaret looked at the woman as Emma practically flew into the car. "If you ever try to bring harm to Emma again, I will not hesitate to go to Sheriff Graham or District Attorney Spencer," she told the woman with a low tone.

No one would hurt Emma.

Not again.


	9. David

It was a whirlwind, getting Emma enrolled in school and taking her shopping, but eventually, the two of them made it back to the loft with their spoils.

"Well, here we are," Mary-Margaret said, setting down a heavy shopping bag from Arabian Home Goods. She'd been able to talk to Ali for a longer period of time since they weren't trying to hide Emma from Ingrid anymore. He was a nice man, in Mary-Margaret's opinion, and she'd noticed him staring at Yasmine, the owner's daughter multiple times as she spoke with her father. "Home sweet home."

She saw Emma looking around, smiling. "I've never seen a place like this before. It's so interesting…"

Mary-Margaret smiled. "Thank you Emma. I hope you'll be comfortable up here. Your bed's upstairs."

Emma smiled. "I get a loft to myself?"

She laughed and nodded. "Yes, but I'm afraid the only bathroom is down here."

The seventeen year old laughed a little. "Okay, that's fine."

Mary-Margaret led her upstairs to the loft. "All of this is yours, Emma," she told her. "I'll go get the sheets from my closet so we can make the bed. You can use those until we get your new sheets washed. Feel free to start setting up your stuff."

Emma hadn't brought much from the inn, so they'd had fun at the home goods store.

As Mary-Margaret moved into her closet to grab the sheets, she frowned as her foot nudged something heavy. That was odd – her closet was organized. Nothing should have been out of place. Setting the sheets down on a clear shelf, she knelt down and picked up whatever it was she'd kicked.

It was a book.

She frowned again. When did she get this?

Opening it, she flipped through it. A book of fairytales. She noticed all of the classics. Snow White, Cinderella, Robin Hood, Alice in Wonderland, Red Riding Hood, Peter Pan… everything.

Holding it in her hands, Mary-Margaret began to think. Emma was seventeen, perhaps well past the age of believing in fairytales, but then again, Emma did need hope that everything with Ingrid would be okay. And what were fairytales for, if not to bring people the hope of a happy ending?

Smiling, Mary-Margaret set the book on top of the bedding and made her way back to Emma's room. "Emma?" she asked as she set the bedding down, turning around with the book before she noticed the girl holding a white and purple blanket. "What's that?"

Emma looked at it with affection. "It's my baby blanket. It's the only thing I have of my birth parents."

The woman smiled again. "It's beautiful, Emma."

Emma's eyes then went to the book. "What's that?"

It was clear to Mary-Margaret Emma didn't exactly feel like talking about her birth parents, so she followed the change of topic and picked up the book. "I found it when I was getting the sheets. I know you might be too old for fairytales but… I thought it might be a nice welcome home gift."

Emma took the book into her hands and smiled. "No, Mary-Margaret, it's perfect. Thank you."

He was riding a horse, panic stricken, urging the horse to go faster and faster because she was in danger. Something was wrong. He needed to help her.

Wait, no, that wasn't right, he could tell he was laying down.

Why did he think he was riding a horse? Why did he feel panicked?

Though, if he was laying down, maybe someone would be nearby to hear him if he made noise. He didn't have the strength to move, so all he managed was a groan as he forced his eyes to open.

And they met the startled green eyes of a pretty, black-haired woman.

"Oh my God. You're awake!" another voice cried, and he turned his gaze to a blonde young woman – a teenager – who was sitting next to the woman.

He nodded slowly, his throat too dry to even attempt speech, though he tried to clear his throat.

"Emma, hurry, get Doctor Whale," the black-haired woman told the teenager, who nodded quickly and ran off. They looked like mother and daughter, and the man (who was he anyway?) wondered if they were perhaps… his.

Was he even married?

The black-haired woman turned back to him and smiled. "Well good morning, sleeping beauty," she said with a smile as she closed the large book that was on her lap.

"You were reading Snow White actually," he managed to rasp out. "What happened?"

"You've been in a coma," she replied. "You've been here for a while… do you know what happened?"

He shook his head slightly. "No, I don't… I don't even know my name."

The woman frowned a little. "Oh dear…" she replied "That's not good, because neither does the hospital.

He frowned as well. If this hospital didn't know who he was, how was he supposed to get his memories back?

"You see, Doctor Whale? I told you Mary-Margaret reading to him woke him up," he heard the girl – Emma, the woman had called her – say to the man that had followed him into the room.

The doctor stared at him with wide eyes. "It's a miracle," he whispered, going over to the bed and beginning to run tests on the man.

It turned out, his name was David Nolan. At least, according to the mayor, who, for some reason, was the emergency contact listed on his card.

When things settled, he was left in the room with a woman who everyone said was his mother, and he looked at her curiously. "I don't understand. Why was the mayor my emergency contact and not you?" he asked.

The woman let out a sigh as she sat down in the available chair next to him. "The thing is, we haven't had a good relationship in a few years," she replied.

He frowned. "What? Why?" That didn't sound right to him. He didn't remember anything, but it felt like he was close to this woman. Or, supposed to be. He didn't know anything anymore.

His mother, Violet, sighed again and rubbed at her eyes. "Your wife Kathryn… she has been a cause of trouble for us ever since you got married."

His frown only deepened. "Wait, if I have a wife, then where – "

"DAVID!"

A blonde woman ran into the room. "Oh David, thank goodness they finally found you! I was so worried…"

David wrapped his arms around her out of instinct, looking toward his mother before Mary-Margaret caught his gaze. Why did he feel more of a connection to the woman that had been sitting at his bedside than the woman who was supposed to be his wife?

"Hello Kathryn," Violet said.

Kathryn's head turned sharply. "So you finally show up to support your son, do you?" Kathryn replied. "Where were you on our anniversary when we threw the party, hm?"

"I was at home. Can you blame me? You don't really love my son."

"How dare you? I – "

David let out a groan, his head beginning to throb in pain. Probably from the trauma his mind had been going through, but he liked to think it was because of the arguing.

"Oh no, David – "

"Ladies, I think it would be best if you took this argument elsewhere," Dr. Whale said. "David needs rest… or at least, not this argument right in front of him."

David was very thankful for Dr. Whale.

"Right. Violet, we'll take this outside," Kathryn said sharply, and David suddenly realized why there might have been trouble in their marriage as his mother and wife left the room, hushed arguing following them.

He wondered briefly if Kathryn had something to do with the reason he ended up here with no memories to begin with.

No, he shouldn't be thinking that. Kathryn wouldn't do such a thing, would she? He would hope he was smarter than to marry someone that would cause him amnesia.

The only problem was, he didn't know who he was at all.

"Get some rest, Mr. Nolan," Dr. Whale said. "I know you've been asleep for a while but even Snow White needed to sleep the night after she woke up from her curse."

He laughed bitterly. "Hopefully the headache will go away."

Whale frowned a little. "It might mean something. Like your memories are trying to come out or something. Just rest now and if you need anything one of the staff'll come over if you press that button."

He nodded slowly. "Thanks Dr. Whale," he said, leaning back against the pillows and closing his eyes.

And he was right back on the horse again.

"Are you nervous, Emma?" Neal asked her as they walked along the beach.

"Nervous? About David Nolan waking up?" she asked, frowning a little and tilting her head. That had been what they were talking about, David suddenly waking up when Mary-Margaret read to him.

"No, not about that. I mean about starting school tomorrow."

"Oh." It had been something she had avoided talking about with anyone. "I mean… I guess. I haven't been to a normal school since Minnesota. But Ruby said that girl Ashley is in my grade. And so is that girl Sierra who works with them."

"Well, that's good then, isn't it?" Neal asked. "You have names of people you could go to if you need help with something."

"I guess…" she replied. "I guess I'm just nervous since it all seems to be so final. I mean, going to school, prom… I'll actually be able to graduate. I didn't think I would."

"And hey, for what it's worth, you have a prom date automatically," Neal teased, pressing a kiss to her head as she laughed.

"You know, that actually does help a little," she replied with a wide grin. "Now, how am I ever going to figure out what to wear?"

Neal laughed as they continued walking along the shoreline. "Prom's not until April or something. I'm sure you'll find a dress. Maybe Sierra and Ashley can help you out. Or Mary-Margaret."

Emma nodded. "Yeah, I guess."

"Is there something else bothering you?"

Emma nodded and frowned a little. "It seems so suspicious that David wakes up with Mary-Margaret reading to him and then all of a sudden they find his wife and mother? Where were they before?"

"You think someone set something up?" Neal asked.

"I don't know," Emma replied. "But I'm going to find out."


	10. First Day Adventures

"You must be Emma!" a girl with blonde hair said, bouncing over to her as she stood in front of her locker.

Emma took a startled step back. "Uh… yeah, I am."

"Well, it's so nice to meet you! I'm Victoria Beaumont and this - " she pulled a dark-skinned girl Emma recognized as one of the waitresses from Granny's – "is Sierra Segal!"

"Tori! Don't scare the poor girl before she even gets to first period!" the other girl laughed, before turning back to Emma. "Like she said, I'm Sierra. Ruby told us about you yesterday. You were adopted by Miss Blanchard, right?"

Emma nodded and smiled a little. "Uh, yeah, I was. It's nice to meet you both."

"Where you headed?" Sierra asked. "Tori and I can show you around if you want."

"I – oh, yeah, that'd be great," Emma said with relief as she pulled her schedule out of her pocket. "I have history with Mr. Lin."

"Oh I love Mr. Lin!" Tori practically squealed as the three of them headed toward the classroom. "I'm in that class now too. He was the only history teacher I liked that actually made me interested in history!"

Emma laughed. "Oh really? I've always liked history."

"Oh yeah. He tells some of the best stories. He's a war veteran you know, so he really knows what he's talking about."

"Really? What war?"

Sierra and Victoria frowned and looked at each other. "You know… I don't think he's ever said," Victoria said.

Emma frowned a little. "Really? That's odd."

"Oh – here's my class. I'll see you at lunch, Tori!" Sierra said, waving as she entered the classroom across the hall.

"Ah Tori, nearly late again I see," an older, Asian man leaning on a cane said as he stood up from his desk.

"I'm sorry Mr. Lin! I was just showing Emma around," Tori explained, ducking hurriedly to her seat.

"Emma? Ah, yes, Emma Swan, our new student. Welcome to Storybrooke high school Emma," the man said, turning his attention to her and smiling. "Your seat is right next to Dahlia."

A girl with short brown hair waved her hand slowly so Emma knew where she was going.

Emma smiled a little as she took her seat, looking up at Mr. Lin as he began his lecture.

The rest of the day had gone somewhat smoothly. She liked most of her teachers, except Ms. Boyd. She was cold, like Ingrid. Only much worse than Ingrid, if that was possible. Then there was Miss Martin, the PE teacher and swim coach. She was… interesting, to say the least. She was very adamant about trying to get more people on the swim team (even though Emma noticed any competitions And then Mrs. Nolan.

"Has anyone seen Ashley?" Tori asked as they walked past Strand's Sandwiches on their way home from school. "She wasn't at lunch today."

Sierra frowned. "She wasn't? That's odd. Ashley never misses school."

"You know… she was awfully close to giving birth," Tori remarked, her face turning more worried. "What if she…"

"We need to tell Lissa."

Emma frowned. "What's going on?" she asked as she ran with the others. She knew Ashley was pregnant, that was hard to miss. But who was Lissa?

"Lissa's her stepsister, the only one she actually likes," Sierra said. "Ms. Boyd is her mother. No one likes her."

"That's not fair Tori. Lissa's sister likes their mother."

"She doesn't count Sierra."

"Tori!"

"Um, guys, I hate to interrupt but maybe we should try to find Lissa and ask her?" Emma gently interrupted.

"Right! Sierra, you and Emma go to Spencer's law office, and I'll check Granny's and see if Ruby or Granny have seen her," Tori said, taking off down the street, Emma and Sierra heading across the street to the legal building.

"Sierra? What are you doing here?" a pretty blonde sitting at the front desk asked, frowning in confusion as the two girls rushed inside. Emma noted the accent immediately.

"Lissa, have you seen Ashley? She wasn't at lunch today, and Tori and I are getting worried about her."

Lissa frowned. "She wasn't? No, I haven't seen her all day."

"If she's your stepsister, shouldn't she live with you?" Emma asked, frowning in confusion.

Lissa's eyes snapped to Emma, fury in her gaze. "The relationship she has with my mother and sister is complicated," she said shortly. "You wouldn't know, would you stranger?"

"Lissa, she wants to help…" Sierra said. "This is Emma. Miss Blanchard's new daughter."

Emma gave her a sheepish smile. "Sorry, not the best first impression. It's nice to meet you."

"Thank you. You too I guess," Lissa replied, before a man's voice loudly called for her and she frowned as she rose from her seat. "I'm sorry I can't help, Sierra. But if you find her let me know, please?"

"Of course," Sierra said as she and Emma took off from the building once again.

Lissa walked over to Mr. Spencer's office. "You needed to see me, sir?"

"Yes, could you make a couple of copies for me, please? Ingrid and I are still in discussions. And order Strand's for dinner. I can't do diner food again," Mr. Spencer said, handing her the files.

"Yes sir," Lissa said, looking at the blonde woman. She'd heard from Ruby that she most likely was not to be trusted, but she couldn't lose her job here. She had worked too hard to quit because the one woman Mr. Spencer was working with looked fishy and suspicious.

But that didn't mean Lissa wouldn't keep an eye out. Just in case.

"Are you sure you haven't seen her, Neal?" Emma asked over the phone. Neal could hear her pacing and he frowned.

"I'm sure Emma. If I had I would have tried to stop her," he replied, leaning against the counter of his father's shop. "Slow down and tell me what happened again."

Emma explained what she knew of the story again, Ashley, a pregnant eighteen year old, near the time that she was due, and hadn't showed up to lunch that day.

His father suddenly yelled out, and Neal frowned, walking over to the back room. "Hold on Emma, something's happened with my father," he told Emma, setting his phone on his shoulder. "Papa, what's the matter?"

"Something very dear to me has been stolen," his father growled. "A deal I made with a young girl."

Neal mentally groaned. He had a bad feeling about this.

"Emma, I'll call you back. Keep looking, but I'll bring the bug as soon as I help my father find something."

"Okay Neal. Hurry."

"I will. I'll talk to you later."

He closed his phone and looked at his father. "It wouldn't happen to be Ashley Boyd, would it?" he asked wearily.

His father opened his mouth to try and worm his way out of it, but Neal caught him immediately. "If it is, Papa, she's missing and no one can find her. So you better tell me what this deal was so we can figure out where she is," Neal told him carefully.

His father exhaled slowly. "Fine. Back in the Enchanted Forest, I made a deal with her. To take her firstborn child when it was born."

"Jesus Christ, Papa, are you kidding me?" Neal asked, already moving to grab his car keys from the wall in the back room.

"The deal was the same here. She's a poor maid down on her luck, and her prince is no price either," his father continued, following him into the main shop.

"And why is her prince no prince?"

"That one is not my fault. Technically," the older man replied. "I only created a curse that would bring everyone to this world. I did not make any adjustments to relationships. That was all Regina's doing. But as far as I know, in this world Cinderella and her prince are not living happily ever after."

"And that's why her cursed self believes she made the deal with you," Neal finished with a sigh. "Alright. I'm going to go pick Emma up and we're going to look for her."

His father nodded, running a hand through his hair. "Call me when you find her. I have no need for her baby, and I think I should be there to break the deal."

"Yeah, I will," Neal replied as he all but ran to the bug that was parked on the other side of the building, speeding down the Storybrooke streets.

Emma jumped into the car when he pulled up to Granny's.

"Ruby said she took her car this afternoon at lunch. She's trying to get out of town because of some deal she made," Emma breathed as Neal threw the car into drive and began racing for the edge of town. "Sierra's calling her stepsister now."

"My father," he muttered. "She made a deal with my father."

"Your father?!"

"I don't know the details," he lied, "but when I told him he said he promised to break it so she could keep the baby if she wanted to."

Emma took a deep breath, although Neal could see the anger still just beneath the surface. "If she left town, who knows how far she's gone."

He frowned as something caught his eye. "Uh, Emma? Did you find out what Ruby's car looked like?"

"She said it was red… - oh no," Emma gasped, spotting the same thing.

The bug came to a squealing halt as Neal slammed on the brakes, jumping out before the car fully stopped.

"Ashley!" Emma called, before they both heard sobbing from the grass not too far from the crash.

The blonde looked up, eyes wide as she spotted Neal and Emma. "Please don't let him take my baby," she sobbed. "I changed my mind. I want it…"

"Anyone who deserves to be a mother should damn well be allowed to be one. Don't worry Ashley, you'll be able to keep the baby," Emma said, kneeling down and rubbing her back gently.

"We're not gonna let him take the baby, Ashley, we promise," Neal said. "But we need to get you to the hospital. Emma, call Sierra and let her know we found her."

Emma nodded, already pulling her phone out of her pocket as Neal helped Ashley to her feet, slowly helping her to the bug as she gripped her stomach and gasped in pain.

"Ashley?"

"T-the baby's c-coming… t-that's why I left school…" she sobbed as Emma practically flew into the bug's back seat.

"Oh God," he replied, hurrying as much as he could to get Ashley into the car as Emma chattered quickly to Sierra on the phone. Getting into the driver's seat, Neal rushed as quickly as he could to the hospital.


	11. It's Possible

_The Enchanted Forest, Two Months Before the Dark Curse is Cast_

"Ella, darling, we have visitors scheduled to come today, and the maids are insisting you get up now," her husband said softly, kissing her cheek as she rubbed her eyes and yawned, pushing herself up with difficulty thanks to the seven month pregnant stomach she had.

"Right, who is visiting again?" she asked as she got out of bed and kissed him softly, undoing the blue ribbons in her hair.

"Well, the biggest event is the White King and Queen of Wonderland," Thomas replied as the maids dragged her off to the bathroom. He followed them, stopping just outside the door as Ella was led to the bath to wash. "They're finally revealing their faces to The Enchanted Forest. Everyone is coming, really. But my father just received word that they want a private meeting with us before everyone shows up."

That was curious, in Ella's opinion, and she frowned a little. "Really?" she asked as a maid began washing her hair. She didn't particularly like being bathed like this, after all, she had been bathing herself – or with the help of her bird friends – for most of her life. But Thomas insisted on pampering her since she'd told him about the terrible deal she'd made with Rumpelstiltskin to take their baby away. All because she was selfish and wanted to go to a stupid ball.

A couple of hours later, the White King and Queen arrived, and Ella couldn't help but be a bit nervous. Even though she had been involved with diplomacy since she met Thomas, this was something else. The White King and Queen were mysterious people, never revealing their faces to anyone – except those in Wonderland, of course. Now they wanted a private meeting before the great reveal? None of it made sense. She hummed a little as they waited for the Wonderland rulers to appear, a song her parents had taught her.

"Are you still singing that, Ella?" a familiar voice asked, and Ella froze.

"Anastasia?" she whispered, looking at the figure in the room.

The other blonde smiled. "Hello stepsister."

" _You're_ the White Queen?!' Ella gasped, eyes wide with shock. She never would have guessed that Anastasia was alive, much less a queen in Wonderland.

"Don't look so surprised, Ella. I told you, I was going to do what I wanted with my life," her stepsister said with a smile, hugging her. "And I became a queen."

Ella returned the hug. "We thought you were dead. A man came to our home and said you were dead… how – how are you alive?"

"It's a long story. But all is well. And I can see all is well with you too…" Anastasia remarked, looking at Ella's ever-growing stomach.

"Oh, well… yes, Thomas and I are so happy, but…"

"But?"

"We won't be able to raise our child…" Ella told her sadly. "I made a deal with Rumpelstiltskin and the price was he got our firstborn." Anastasia stared at her.

"Oh my Gods. Ella… is that how you were able to go to the ball? Because of a deal you made?!"

Ella nodded."Yes," she whispered. "You and stepmother were – "

"I'll help you," Anastasia replied. "I was part of the reason you had to make that deal to begin with so… I'll help you."

Ella frowned. "How?"

Anastasia stepped back, and Ella gasped as a fireball formed in her hand. "Just leave it to me."

* * *

 

Emma had felt terror before, but not anything like this. Instead of being scared for her life, or scared that Ingrid would catch her, she was now scared for someone else who was in danger. Especially since Ashley had essentially made a deal with the devil. Neal said he would be able to figure it out, but what if he wasn't? A deal like that wasn't something easily broken. She was so scared Ashley would have to give up her baby. Someone who fought for her family deserved to have it. Emma had been lucky enough to find her family, and Ashley deserved to have a family too.

Her cell phone rang suddenly as nurses wheeled Ashley off to the maternity ward, and when Emma answered she found Mary-Margaret on the other line.

"Emma, where are you? I thought you were going to be home by now."

"Mary-Margaret, I'm so sorry. I forgot to call you. I'm at the hospital."

"The what?! Oh my God, are you okay?!"

Emma winced slightly at the panic in the woman's voice and shifted the phone slightly off her ear. "Don't worry. I'm fine. Neal's fine. You know that girl, Ashley Boyd? We found her on the side of the road. She'd gotten into a car accident and she's in labor so we brought her here."

She could hear the sigh of relief. "Oh thank goodness. Do you need me to come up there? Are you okay?"

"You can if you want, but I don't need anything. I'm fine," she replied. "Just a little freaked out. I'll call you when we know anything more."

"Okay Emma. Keep me posted," Mary-Margaret said before hanging up.

Emma sighed and closed her cell phone, looking at Neal. "So what do we do now?" she asked, biting her lip.

"I guess all we can do is wait, and call Victoria and Sierra and let them know we found her," Neal said. "Here, sit down. You hungry or anything?" Emma shook her head. Her stomach was in way too tight of a knot to think about food right now. She was scared for Ashley, even though she'd only met her a handful of times at Granny's. Even so, no one deserved to suffer like this.

"Out of the way!" someone shouted, heel-clad shoes clacking sharply on the white tile floor of the hospital.

"OW! Lissa! Let go of me, I'm coming, okay?!" another voice – this time, male – whined, his footsteps following as Lissa finally rounded the corner, coming into sight of Emma and Neal.

"Lissa? What's going on?" Emma asked, staring at the scene. "Who's this?"

"This," Lissa said, shoving the man in front of her. "is Sean Herman. Ashley's ex-boyfriend."

"Ah, not ex-boyfriend exactly. It's my father," Sean explained.

Emma frowned. "You shouldn't let your dad convince you whether or not to be with someone. You can make your own decisions, especially when it comes it a situation like this."

Sean sighed. "I know, I know… but I want to try and help her in any way I can. That's why I'm here."

"Where's Ashley?" Lissa asked.

"Whale took her back a few minutes ago. It looked like she was getting ready to push," Neal explained, squeezing Emma's shoulder. She rested her head against his shoulder as Sean blanched, rushing into the maternity ward.

Lissa stayed behind. "Thank you, Emma. For finding her and getting her back here safely."

"Of course," Emma replied with a smile. Lissa didn't have to thank her for anything – it was the right thing to do. Lissa gave Emma another smile before hurrying into the maternity ward.

Sitting down in one of the chairs, Emma sighed and looked at Neal. "You should probably call your dad and let him know what's going on."

Neal nodded slowly. "Yeah. I'll be right back."

Emma nodded, watching him as he left.

A few hours later, Mr. Gold was sitting with them when Lissa came back into the waiting room with a smile on her face. "It's a girl! A healthy baby girl!" Lissa squealed with a bounce in her step.

Emma clasped her hands together as she sat up in her chair. "That's amazing! What did she name her?"

Lissa smiled. "Alexandra," she said softly. "Baby Alexandra."

"What about her and Sean? Are they...? " Neal asked.

"I couldn't hear the full conversation but I did hear that he's giving up what his father says and wants to fix things with Ashley. He wants to be there for Alexandra," Lissa said with a wider smile. "I don't know if it was what you said or what I told him on the way here but Emma, thank you again. He was so stubborn through her pregnancy that it just seemed so impossible."

Emma waved her had. "Please, I didn't say anything to him... I'm just Emma." She didn't notice the knowing smile Neal was wearing.

* * *

 

It wasn't a date. Not really, anyway. There were no flowers, no chocolates, no romantic candles lighting the room. It was just two people relaxing in an apartment together waiting for simple take-out and a phone call from her daughter.

It wasn't a date.

"Any word from Emma yet?" David Nolan asked as he looked over at Mary-Margaret, who was curled up on her couch holding a mug of hot chocolate with cinnamon.

It was a weird drink in his opinion, but shockingly, it had tasted good the first time he'd tried it.

"No, not yet," the woman replied with a worried look toward her cell phone, which was resting against the arm of the couch.

David frowned, reaching over to squeeze her shoulder gently. "It's going to be okay Mary-Margaret," he said. "Everything will be fine."

"I hope – " Mary-Margaret started to say, before a knock on the door interrupted her thoughts. "Oh, that's probably the food." She stood, going to the door.

"Hey Mary-Margaret. Thanks for ordering from Strand's," Topher Strand said with a wide grin as she opened the door. She chuckled as she handed over the money, taking the bag into her hand. "Don't mention it, Topher. Tell Lucy we said hello."

"I will!" Topher said with a wave as he headed downstairs, Mary-Margaret closing the door behind him and going back to David.


	12. Shall We Dance?

_The Enchanted Forest: Four months into Snow White's pregnancy_

"Snow, are you sure about this?" Charming asked for what felt like the hundredth time that day.

Snow resisted the urge to roll her eyes as Johanna laced up the back of her dress.

"Yes Charming, Of course I'm sure." Why wouldn't she be sure? It was a ball for goodness sake. "And even if I wasn't, you are the one that keeps saying we can't let Regina's threat dominate our lives. We have to focus on the positives, like our baby."

Charming let out a sigh and ran a hand through his hair. "I understand, but…"

"If she shows up, we shall deal with it together. I don't think she'll be so foolish anyway, with how many kingdoms we have invited."

If Regina wanted to interrupt tonight's ball, it wouldn't be just their kingdom she bothered – and some of those kingdoms leaders also wielded powerful magic.

Her husband let out another sigh before he seemed to finally relent. "Alright, fine. But I want you to stay close to me tonight, okay?"

Snow rolled her eyes. "Charming…"

"Okay, okay."

"Snow? I hate to rush you but some of the guests are starting to arrive," Red announced as she moved clumsily into the room. "And are you sure I need to wear this big of a dress?"

"I'm sorry Red, Johanna can do some last-minute alterations if you want," Snow replied with a small smile. "Who arrived anyway?"

"Queen Elsa, Princess Anna, and Prince Kristoff of Arendelle."

" _Kristoff_?!" Charming asked, his eyes wide as he practically bolted from the room, Snow and Red following as quick as they could.

Charming looked very much like a teenager as he moved through the castle and down the steps into the grand ballroom, decorated perfectly for the spring ball.

"What's got him so worked up?" Red whispered, and Snow could only shrug as she watched her husband embrace the prince.

"Ice man! I had no idea you'd become a prince!" Charming said.

"David? Oh my Gods! What are you doing here?" Kristoff replied with a wide grin, returning the hug.

"I'm the king of this kingdom!" David replied with a wide grin. "Oh – this is my wife Snow. The Queen."

Snow smiled and nodded a little in a greeting, noting that Red had disappeared somewhere else in the room. "Hello Prince Kristoff. It's nice to meet you."

"Snow, it is so delightful to see you again," Elsa said, embracing her with a smile.

"It's good to see you too Elsa, Anna. I'm so sorry I wasn't able to attend your parents' funeral. With Regina I… wasn't able to get passage to Arendelle," she explained, giving Anna a hug.

"Of course. We understand. We're just glad you're safe!" Anna said.

"Enjoy yourselves tonight," Snow said with a smile. "There is much to celebrate."

Snow looked around as Elsa and Anna walked off to look around the castle, and she smiled when she saw a familiar face she hadn't seen in months. A friend who had taught her how to fight when she'd been on the run from Regina and unsure of where to go or what to do.

"Mulan!" she said with a wide smile as she approached the woman. "I'm so glad you could make it."

The warrior gave her a wide smile. "Snow! I'm so happy to see you again. This is my father, Fa Zhou. I… hope it's okay that I brought him."

Snow gave a kind smile. "The invitation said you could bring a guest. It never said who that guest had to be. Hello sir, it is an honor to meet you. Mulan spoke very fond of you when she taught me how to fight."

Fa Zhou bowed slightly, leaning heavily against his cane. "Your majesty. I have heard much about you from Mulan as well."

Snow smiled at him. "Please call me Snow."

"Where's James?" Mulan asked.

Snow nodded to where her husband was still speaking eagerly with Kristoff. "Apparently he's known Prince Kristoff for longer than he's known me," she replied with a soft chuckle. "Makes our world seem quite small."

Mulan smiled. "As long as he's happy right?"

"Of course," Snow replied with a chuckle. "Have fun tonight. I will see you both later?"

Mulan and her father nodded, and Snow smiled, heading off to greet other guests.

Red let out a relieved sigh as she stepped outside, looking up at the clear, dark sky and taking a deep breath. She loved Snow, she truly did, but sometimes the balls could be very constricting. She wasn't used to things like this - she had grown up with her grandmother in a small, sleepy village in the kingdom. She wasn't used to balls, to gowns that cut off her breath, to all of the rules and pleasantries that came with being the best friend of the queen.

So, she needed a break.

Leaning against the railing, Red exhaled heavily, looking over sharply when she heard footsteps - she was still a bit on edge from the war with Regina.

"Red, right?" a familiar woman asked with a small smile.

"Yeah. You're… Mulan, aren't you? You helped us fight Regina." Didn't she? She thought the woman seemed familiar.

"I did. I was the one that taught her how to fight to begin with. What are you doing out here?" Mulan asked, leaning against the railing and looking at her curiously.

Red chuckled softly. "I just needed some air. I'm not used to all of this, you know?"

Mulan nodded slowly. "Yeah, I know how you feel. If you want, I can keep you company out here."

Red smiled. "I'd like that."

* * *

"I don't see why you don't just ask her out."

Ruby blinked, looking away from the table where the Lin family sat, her eyes resting instead on Sierra. "I don't know what you mean," she said, slightly flustered as she smoothed out her apron.

Sierra raised an eyebrow. "Oh come on Ruby. You stare at Mr. Lin's daughter every time they're in here. I'm not the only one to notice either."

Ruby felt herself pale. "What? Does she notice too?"

Sierra snorted. "I don't know if _she_ notices but even Emma's noticed. So has Miss Blanchard. You should take a chance and ask her out – "

"Sierra! Order up!"

" - before it's too late," Sierra finished, before going to get the tray of food.

How hard could it be to ask someone out? After all, Ruby had had a string of people asking her out in her life, and all of them had seemed so confident, but when it came to the thought of asking Mei Lin out, well, Ruby felt like curling into herself.

Her eyes slid over to Mary-Margaret and she sighed softly. While Ruby wanted to find her happily ever after, she sincerely hoped Mary-Margaret found hers too. Especially with David Nolan.

Ruby didn't know much about the amnesia thing but she figured there had to be better people out there for him than Kathryn. The woman always walked around like she owned half the town. It was ridiculous. And the way she treated poor Lacey French for _daring_ to drop a book in front of her.

Granny'd had a field day with that – it was the first time in a long time Ruby had been glad to hear Granny yelling. Mostly because it hadn't been directed at her.

Now, how was she going to get Mary-Margaret and David together?

Tapping her nails on the counter as she saw Emma and Neal walk by the diner's window, Ruby grinned and leaned over to Sierra as the younger woman came rushing back to pick up another order for her table.

"Sierra, what time is the winter dance on Saturday?"

Sierra set the tray down and paused, thinking. "It starts at seven. Why?"

Ruby said nothing, simply grinning.

* * *

Mary-Margaret had no idea why Ruby would request her presence at Granny's when she must have known that she would be seeing Emma off to her first school dance tonight.

She felt very emotional about all of this. After all, Emma was her daughter now, despite the fact that she'd only been in her care for only a couple short months. It was extremely exciting. This was what every mother wanted to do in life – see her daughter off to her first dance.

Her own mother had missed the chance.

Mary-Margaret sighed softly as she waited for Emma to finish drying her hair so she could help her with the up-do Emma had fallen in love with in a magazine.

"Okay Mary Margaret. I'm ready," Emma said, walking back into the room with a wide smile. "Are you sure about doing my hair?"

"You look so beautiful, Emma and you're my daughter. It's my duty as a mother to do your hair for a school dance!" she replied. "Now come on, sit down."

Emma nodded and did so with a smile. Mary-Margaret began braiding the long, blonde locks as she hummed softly. "So, are you excited for tonight?" she asked with a chuckle.

"I am," the girl replied. "And I'm really excited that I'll be graduating in less than a year."

Mary-Margaret chuckled. "Well I'm glad to hear that. Have you decided if you're going to apply to schools or anything like that?"

Emma bit her lip. "I – I don't know yet. With how much I was bounced around I don't know if I would want to leave Storybrooke so soon. Storybrooke is my home.." she said softly.

She nodded as she carefully slid a bobby pin into Emma's hair, securing it. "I understand. I will not pressure you into anything you feel uncomfortable doing."

She watched Emma smile in her reflection. "Thanks Mo – Mary-Margaret."

The teacher felt her heart flutter, and she put a hand on Emma's shoulder. "If you want to call me mom… you can."

"Really?"

Mary-Margaret nodded. "Of course."

When Emma turned around quickly, Mary-Margaret caught the hug quickly, rubbing the teenager's back, before Emma turned away, brushing tears that threatened to fall.

"Right so…"

"I'll finish your hair. Neal will be here soon," Mary-Margaret said, her eyes darting to the clock on the wall as she set off to finish Emma's hair.

Emma and Neal looked lovely as she and Mr. Gold stood, taking pictures of the couple before Neal, with his face red in embarrassment of it all, finally made them stop and ushered Emma off to the high school as Mary-Margaret and Mr. Gold laughed at the bug's retreating form.

"Well, Mr. Gold, would you like to stay for tea? I have a bit of time before I need to be at Granny's," Mary-Margaret offered, turning to the man.

"Oh no, no, I'm afraid I must decline. I have to work on inventory for the shop tonight. I had a few things purchased and I must rearrange my shop," the man replied. "Although I do hope you enjoy your time at Granny's. I believe David Nolan was heading there as well…"

"David?" she whispered, trying to hide the blush that threatened to swallow her.

The man grinned. "Indeed. Have a good night, Mary-Margaret."

With that, the man left, the door clicking shut quietly behind him.


	13. Glass Unicorns

David let out a sigh as he ran a hand through his hair, looking around the woods as he tried to clear his head. He'd had yet another weird dream of being in the forest on horseback, looking for someone with dark hair. She almost reminded him of Mary-Margaret, and it felt _right_. No matter how ridiculous it sounded, Mary-Margaret was the only thing that felt right since he woke up – and according to the pictures Kathryn had been showing him, he and Mary-Margaret didn't even know each other before he woke up.

So why did he want so badly to kiss her? To hold her? Why did she feel so familiar in this unfamiliar world?

None of it made any sense anymore.

Especially these random trips to the woods. But he felt like there was something familiar here, to him. He didn't know why but –

Toll Bridge.

He remembered standing on that bridge. He remembered fighting trolls. Magic powder had turned them into harmless bugs.

Well now, that didn't make sense, but it felt so real. So, so real.

He didn't want to let that go.

"Mister Nolan," a voice suddenly said from behind him. David turned, startled, and found the mayor standing behind him. Strange. She didn't seem the type to like nature hikes. Especially given the pantsuit she was wearing.

"Hello Mayor Mills. What brings you out this way?" he asked.

"I was just out for a winter walk," Regina said with that half-smirk half-smile that David, for some reason, did not trust.

"I… would have suggested better footwear," David replied, looking down at the knee-high leather boots the mayor was wearing. Not exactly sensible footwear for a walk in the woods, especially with the light amount of snow that was on the ground.

She laughed, but it didn't reach her eyes, and David nearly shivered. How could people do that?

"What brings you out here, Mr. Nolan. This is far from the animal shelter and yours and Kathryn's home, is it not?" she asked curiously.

"It is, but Kathryn told me that I liked to take walks in the woods, so I'm just seeing if anything out here is helping to jog my memory," he said with a small shrug. It wasn't a lie – not totally. Kathryn had told him that he liked to take walks in the woods, but something in his gut told him to fib just a little when it came to Regina Mills.

Regina gave him another weird looking smile, and she nodded. "Of course. Tell me, Mr. Nolan, has anything helped you at all?"

Many things had been helping David, but he wasn't sure how much he wanted to divulge to the mayor.

"Bits and pieces. Mainly feelings – no real solid memories," he said with a small shrug.

"I see. Well, perhaps you should check out Mr. Gold's Pawnshop. Have you been there?" she asked.

David shook his head. "Er, no, I haven't. Why should I check there?" He pulled his jacket tighter at a particularly strong, cold breeze.

"You might find some treasures inside that make things click together in your head," she told him. She was smiling, but David could see something in her eyes that he couldn't quite pinpoint, although he didn't like the look of it. She looked down at her watch then, and another chuckle escaped her. "My, where has the time gone? It was lovely speaking with you Mr. Nolan, but I'm afraid I must go pick up my daughter from Bellatrix's home."

"Daughter? I didn't know you had a daughter," David said curiously.

"Oh yes. She's my precious little girl. My little Lily."

Why did the name Lily trigger something in him? Although he kept his face calm as the mayor made her way out of the woods, David going the other way in the direction he knew the pawnshop to be in.

He pushed the door open and was quickly greeted by Mr. Gold's son, Neal. The same boy that had taken Emma to the dance the previous night.

"How was the dance with Emma?" he asked after they got the polite greetings out of the way.

Neal grinned. "It was fun. I mean – I don't miss being in high school but it was fun spending time with Emma like that. I'd never been to a dance like that before."

"I'm very glad to hear that. Mary-Margaret showed me pictures last night when we were at Granny's. You both looked very happy," David said as he smiled and looked around the shop.

"Thank you David," Neal said, although if David was being honest, he could hear a bit of a nervousness in the voice.

Maybe because David had sort of become a father-figure in Emma's life, even though he knew he really shouldn't. After all, he wasn't even divorced from Kathryn yet. He had no right thinking Emma was like a daughter to him.

His eyes wandered to a small windmill, and it caught his attention. Frowning, he slowly made his way over to it, before something glinted in the window.

A mobile, made of glass.

And that triggered something much deeper inside him than the windmill was doing.

Reaching up, David touched one of the delicate unicorns.

_"Snow, are you sure this is a good idea? I mean, she put Aurora under a sleeping curse, and attacked her mother before," he said, frowning deeply as he looked at his wife. They were in the war room, and Snow had come to him with the completely stunning news that she was agreeing to work with Maleficent in order to try to stop Regina's curse._

_"David, you have to trust me. Please. She's… she's expecting a child like we are. No innocent child should be put at risk of Regina's curse. We have to do whatever we can in order to try to stop her," Snow explained. "I know it seems odd that she would ask us for help but you must believe me. She wants this curse stopped as much as we do. If we allow her child to come to harm… how can we even consider such a thing? Every child deserves their mother, especially when they're newborns."_

_David wasn't sure what to think about a pregnant Maleficent._

_He sighed, rubbing at his eyes. He knew Snow was right, and it wouldn't be very heroic of them if they denied someone the chance – small as it was – to defend their child from someone like Regina. "Alright, Snow. We'll work with her."_

_"That's good, considering I'm already here," Maleficent said from behind them._

_David gave her a tense smile. "My apologies, Maleficent. I'll summon the rest of the war council."_

_The others, unsurprisingly, were as shocked as he was when they heard the news of the well, he supposed, former, villain, wanting to work with them to stop Regina. The unfortunate thing was, there were no ideas to be had, and the meeting ended in failure._

_"Maleficent… have you decided on a name for your child?" Snow asked quietly._

_Maleficent smiled. "Lily. What about you?"_

_"Emma."_

He pulled his hand back and stared at it as if he had been shot. Emma. Lily. The kingdom – the curse. Snow White was Mary-Margaret.

His wife.

And Emma was his daughter.

"Sir?"

He turned, a hand on his head as the memories began to settle once again.

"Mr. Nolan, are you okay?" Neal asked, staring at him with wide eyes. "Do you need some water or – "

"Baelfire, I do not believe that is what he needs at all. I think what he needs… is an explanation."

He put a hand on his head and turned at the voice. Rumpelstiltskin – Mr. Gold – was hobbling toward him, leaning on his cane.

"Come, your majesty. I have tea in the back room if you'd like some."

David nodded dumbly and followed Rumpelstiltskin and Neal into the back room – suddenly realizing that Neal was dating his daughter. His Emma.

Who was… seventeen – not twenty-eight like they had been told. David frowned and took a seat in one of the chairs in the back room. He supposed it was a good thing – that way they had more memories with Emma than they would have, but he was still confused as to how the hell it happened.

He took the mug of tea from Neal as the three men sat down, glad for something warm to hold on to as he stared at the imp.

"What is the first question you have?" Rumpelstiltskin asked.

David wasn't sure which one to pick. There were too many questions swirling in his head.

"What happens now?" David asked.

"Now, the hard part begins, for you anyway. You have to keep up appearances that you are under the curse. That you remember nothing of The Enchanted Forest," Rumpelstiltskin said. "And we also have to convince your daughter of the truth of the curse, so everyone can remember… and so we can go back home."

"How do I do that? Snow is my wife and Abigail – "

"You know, Mr. Gold is in the business of law," Rumpelstiltskin said. "It won't be too hard for me to perhaps… draw up divorce papers."

David must have been making a face, because Rumpelstiltskin's face softened just a touch.

"I know it isn't what you want, dearie. But we have to abide by this world's laws until the curse is broken."

David sighed and set the mug of tea down, rubbing at his eyes. "So what do I say to Abigail – Kathryn – whoever she is?"

Rumpelstiltskin shrugged, twirling the cane. "Tell her you don't truly love her. If it helps, my cursed memories have told me that the reason you two were even arguing was because she was found in a… _compromising_ position while you were at work one day."

Frederick. It was the only explanation.

"I see. Did she admit to this? Or was it just rumors that I'd heard around town?"

The man shrugged again. "That I cannot be certain of. I assume she did. No one knows the truth but Regina. Regardless, if you mention it now, I know you will be able to get divorced with little to no problem."

"Regina is a pretty big problem."

"I know. But we will stop her. All curses can be broken."

"How – wait, how can the curse be broken? If she's in a relationship with Neal and she's - presumably – kissed him…"

"You know as well as I do that there are many aspects to breaking a curse. Emma does not fully believe in a curse at all, which poses a problem. But one we will be working on, right?"

"I'll do my best Papa. I know that Mary-Margaret – "

"Snow," David interrupted.

" – Snow… gave her a book with all of your stories in it, but I don't know if she's even started reading it. If she has she's kept it a secret from me. I flipped through it once. There's no way she can't realize something is off."

"But now that her father remembers, the curse will need a little more nudging in order to break," Rumpelstiltskin said. "But I know you can do it, son. And soon, we will all be home, and all of the families will be reunited as they should be."

David nodded slowly, but there was something still bothering him.

Regina had said her daughter's name was Lily. Maleficent had said the same thing.

His stomach sank when he realized the babies must have been the same. Maleficent must not have been able to get her daughter out of the way of the curse.

The only problem was, where was Maleficent?


	14. Story Time

"Kathryn, we need to talk."

His fake wife looked up at him, eyes wide in genuine surprise. "Is everything okay?" she asked, frowning in concern.

"Not fully," he said, sitting down and staring at her. He had to make this look convincing – that he truly did remember Kathryn being unfaithful to him. That he truly did want a divorce.

Well, that part wouldn't be so hard.

"What's the matter David?" she asked, setting the rag and cleaner down and sitting next to him.

"I know what you did. I know you were cheating on me."

The color drained from Kathryn's face, and part of David felt sad that he had to hurt her like this, but he knew it was for the best. They weren't supposed to be together. She was supposed to be with Frederick, and he was supposed to be with Snow. He was doing what needed to be done – for all their sakes.

"David I – you don't understand it was just a stupid mistake. I love you!"

"Do you, Kathryn? Because if you did love me, you should have told me you wanted a divorce _before_ you cheated on me." He could feel real anger starting to bubble up to the surface now.

"D-David…"

"I've already spoken to Mr. Gold. He is going to help me with the divorce."

Kathryn sighed and leaned back against the couch, putting her head in her hands. "Okay. You're right. I did cheat on you with one of my co-workers. He's the gym teacher. It was during a point in our marriage when we were both really stressed and fighting. And I – I started falling for him, so you decided to leave. That's when you had the accident."

David wasn't expecting all of that, but he supposed he was glad for it.

"If you don't love me, Kathryn, all you had to do was say so. Even when I was still in the hospital. No wonder you and my mother were fighting so much."

It all made sense to him now.

"I am sorry David. Truly, I am. I never meant to hurt you. I thought your accident was a chance for a fresh start."

David sighed and wrapped an arm around her. "An accident like that shouldn't be the reason we have a fresh start, Kathryn. If you have feelings for this guy, go after him. Make your fresh start that way. Find your happy ending."

Kathryn took a shaky breath and nodded. "Okay. I'll consent to a divorce."

David took a deep breath himself. "I don't want to upset you Kathryn, but I think a divorce is what's best for us. I mean, if you weren't happy with me before the accident… how do you know that we'd be happy if we stayed married? You deserve to be happy with someone you really love. It's okay if that's not me."

Kathryn let out a watery laugh. "You're too good for this world David, did you know that? You're like a real Prince Charming."

David actually laughed at that. She had no idea how right she was.

* * *

"Oh – there are Sherwoods. I'll be back later Neal," Emma said, giving him a light kiss before she turned and waved at Ali, who was just coming up to the bench he and Emma had been sitting on before. They'd been taking a walk before Emma got a call from Molly and Alec Sherwood asking her to babysit – immediately. Neal hadn't liked that their date was cut short, but Emma had promised they could see each other tomorrow.

He watched Emma greet Eddie, smiling a little as the boy seemed smitten with her. It was funny to think that had everything gone right in the Enchanted Forest, Eddie would only be a few years older than Emma.

"So how are things with Jasmine?" Neal asked, looking over at Ali.

"Well… she's into me, there's no doubt about that. But she's not Jasmine. That's the thing. Yes she looks like Jasmine but she's so much more shy and under the Sultan's thumb than my Jasmine was," Ali explained with a small sigh and a frown. "Still… I'm happy that I get to see her again."

"I'm sorry. It must be difficult. But at least she's here, yeah? I mean, you could always go to Emma's dad if you're feeling overwhelmed. He's in the same boat as you."

"Emma's dad remembers?" Ali asked, staring at him. "How? What happened?"

Neal shrugged and leaned back. "He touched something in my dad's shop. I think it might have something to do with the fact that he didn't have any memories in his head at all. But I'm not sure. Neither is Papa. But the important thing is, we have David on our side."

Ali nodded, though Neal could see the worried look on his face.

"Have you heard from August lately?" Neal asked.

Ali shook his head. "Not for a couple of weeks now. He didn't seem real thrilled that Emma had decided to stay here with Mary-Margaret."

Neal sighed heavily and shook his head. "Idiot. If he was such a good guardian for Emma why would he deny her ten years with her parents?"

"Unless he wanted twenty-eight years to screw off in our world."

Neal made a face. "Are you sure?"

Ali shrugged. "Take it from someone who's an orphan and who was on his own for a few years before he met his true love. Yes. I'm sure he would love to screw off with whatever he could for another ten years before he turns back into a puppet."

"Puppet?"

"Don't you know the story? When Pinocchio royally screws up, the blessing the Blue Fairy gave him starts to wear off and he starts becoming a puppet again."

"Uh… Ali… what do you think abandoning Emma would do to him?"

Ali stared at him, before cursing under his breath. "He's probably not too far off then. Keep your eyes open. And remember, protecting Emma, especially against him, is our first priority."

Neal rolled his eyes, watching as Emma left with Eddie. "Yeah, I'm well aware of that. Especially since her dad remembers. Who knows what Regina will do if she finds out."

"Then you better hope David's a good actor."

"Believe me… I have been."

* * *

"Hey Eddie, do you want to read a book Mary-Margaret got for me?" Emma asked, grinning at the five year old as they sat in the apartment she lived in with Mary-Margaret. She had grown really comfortable and close to the woman lately, and, even though there weren't that many years between them, Emma had taken to considering the woman to be a mother to her, even if she wasn't comfortable calling her 'mom' yet.

"What kind of book?" the five year old replied, looking up at Emma with that dimpled smile that Emma had fallen in love with the day she met him.

"Well, I haven't read it myself yet but it looks like a book of fairy tales." Emma pulled the large book off the shelf and look at it. Once Upon a Time. She'd be surprised if it was anything but fairy tales.

"Ummm okay. Can we read something cool with dragons or sword fights?" Eddie asked as he hopped up on the couch next to her.

Emma laughed and nodded. "Sure. Let's see what's in here, yeah?"

There was no table of contents, Emma noticed, but she saw the first story was Snow White and wrinkled her nose. There weren't any dragons or sword fights in that one. So she flipped to the next story. Robin Hood.

Perfect.

"How about Robin Hood?" she asked. "It's a story about a man who stole from an evil king and gave to the poor that were in need."

Eddie's eyes widened. "That sounds awesome!"

Emma grinned and wrapped an arm around him as she set the book between them and began to read.

"Once upon a time, there was a man named Robin Hood, who lived in the Sherwood Forest…"

"Hey! That's my last name!" Eddie suddenly exclaimed, looking up at Emma with childish excitement.

Emma smiled. "So it is," she said with a chuckle. "Did you know Sherwood Forest is a real place?"

Eddie's eyes widened again. "Do you think Mommy and Daddy would take me there one day?"

She couldn't help but laugh. "I don't see why not, Eddie," she replied as she turned the page, pausing and frowning slightly. The picture of Robin Hood looked like –

"That's daddy!" Eddie exclaimed again and pointing at the page. "What's my daddy doing in a book, Emma?"

Emma blinked in shock. "I… there's no way that's your daddy, Eddie… it's an old book. I mean – Mary-Margaret had it in her closet. It must be as old as she is."

"Oh. That's old. Like Mommy and daddy."

Emma snorted with laughter. Oh, to be five years old and think anyone older than them was old as dirt.

"That's very old Eddie. Shall we continue reading?" she asked with a wide grin, amusement still in her gaze that was lost on the young boy.

Eddie nodded, but Emma found herself unable to stop thinking about the odd likeness of both Alec and eventually Molly in the book.

So, when the Sherwoods came to pick up Eddie and Mary-Margaret came home, Emma found herself sprawled out on the floor of the living room, a mug of hot chocolate in her hands as she stared at the Robin Hood story. It was bizarre how much the characters looked like Alec and Molly.

She wondered if there was anything else odd about the book, so Emma flipped to another story – Red Riding Hood.

And she was startled at what she saw.

Mary-Margaret, though she had longer hair and a white dress on, was on the page with a girl that looked exactly like Ruby.


	15. Overwhelmed

Not now. Not now. Not _now_.

August knew he could only pull the fake leg story for so long. He knew the magic in his body would betray him eventually, and that he would have to go to Storybrooke and face his father and the Blue Fairy… and own up to his failures. Not that they would be hard to conceal.

He was just hoping for another ten years of freedom. But of course, it seemed like Emma Swan was in Storybrooke already. Getting ready to break the curse to send them all back to the Enchanted Forest. And after he had specifically warned Neal and Aladdin to stay away from her and stop it from happening. He shouldn't be surprised, really. Neal had seemed to be really in love with Emma, but regardless, he wanted to enjoy twenty-eight years of this world.

Why did bad things happen to good people?

August groaned, throwing the pillow over his head in his head as he tried to fight back the pain in his skull and the throbbing that was now up to his thigh. He needed to leave, but damn, he didn't _want_ to leave.

The soft, warm body that had been next to him the night before was now gone. August wasn't surprised – actually, he was glad that the woman was gone. Even though she couldn't see the wood in his leg, he knew that he would be limping even worse today than he had even yesterday.

He shoved himself up from the bed and grunted in pain.

"Morning."

August jumped and stared at the dark-skinned woman who was standing in the doorway to the bathroom, a toothbrush in her hand.

"Uh. Morning," he replied, blinking in confusion. "I'm surprised you're still here."

She shrugged. "You looked like you needed help. With your leg and all. I'm sure having wooden appendages isn't easy."

The color drained from his face. No one else had been able to see that his leg was wood. Why could she?

And what would she do to him if she managed to wrangle the truth from him?

"No… uh… it's not easy," he said with a small frown. "It's really, really hard most days," he told her honestly. At least he had no reason to lie about this. Being made of wood could be a bitch when he was turning back into it. "But I'm learning to live with it."

"Well you shouldn't have to, you know," she said, tilting her head. "You deserve some help with it."

"And you want to help me? Why?" Hadn't they just had a one-night stand? Wasn't that what the term "one-night" meant?

August's lips formed a thin line. "Why do you insist on helping me?"

The woman – Tamara, he was beginning to recall – moved over to him and sat next to him on the bed.

"Because I need you to get me to Storybrooke."

* * *

"Neal, I need to talk to you," Emma murmured into the phone from her bed. Mary-Margaret was downstairs making dinner with David Nolan and Emma was _really_ nervous about telling her about the odd things in the book.

Not to mention, she didn't want to interrupt was going to clearly end up as a date. Emma liked David, and liked him for Mary-Margaret, so she was glad to hear about the divorce from Kathryn (as terrible as it made her sound).

"What's the matter, Emma? Are you okay? Is something wrong?" Neal asked, concern clear in his voice.

"No – nothing's wrong exactly. Just a bit… odd I guess. You know that book Mary-Margaret got me?"

"Yeah? What about it?"

Emma hesitated, looking at the book in her lap. "I don't know how to explain it. Can I come over? It's… just bizarre."

"Yeah – yeah of course," Neal replied. "Come over whenever you want."

"I'll be over soon. David's here… cooking dinner for us."

"Sounds like it'll be a family dinner," Neal said with a laugh.

Emma smiled and looked in the mirror. "Yeah. I guess so. I'm a little nervous though. I haven't had a family dinner since Ingrid and – "

"Don't think about that. You really feel a connection with her, right?" Neal asked.

Emma nodded, before realizing he couldn't see her and clearing her throat. "Yeah. I mean – it's weird. It's almost like she's really meant to be my mom. But it's impossible. She's too young and too nice to have left me on the side of the road."

Neal went quiet. "Yeah. Side of the road…. So I'll see you soon then?" he asked.

"Yeah. Give me an hour."

"Okay. I love you."

Emma's heart skipped a beat. "I love you too."

"Emma! Dinner's ready!" Mary-Margaret called as Emma hung up the phone. Smiling (she could never get tired of hearing Mary-Margaret calling for her like she was really her daughter), Emma set the phone down on her bed, put the book in her backpack, and made her way downstairs, where she was hit with the scent of…

"Breakfast for dinner! My favorite!" she said, leaping down the last two steps and running to the stove. It seemed like David and Mary-Margaret had cooked an entire feast. Bacon, sausage, pancakes, French toast and scrambled eggs, and a fruit salad.

"I'm glad I picked right," David said with a chuckle, although Emma could see much more joy in his eyes than he was letting on. "Have as much as you want."

"Seriously?"

"Of course." David looked confused as to why she seemed so grateful as she grabbed a plate and loaded up on a bit of everything.

As the trio sat down to eat (with hot chocolate and cinnamon as Mary-Margaret and Emma's choice for drinks), David cleared his throat.

"I… have some news that I want to share with you guys," he said slowly. "Kathryn and I are getting a divorce."

Cutlery clattered loudly against the glass plates as Emma and Mary-Margaret stared up at him.

"Oh David, I'm so sorry," Mary-Margaret said.

Mary-Margaret was a very bad liar, in Emma's opinion. She didn't seem sorry at all.

Not that Emma cared. She much preferred David with Mary-Margaret anyway.

"It's okay. I just – I got my memories back a few days ago and… I remembered why we had been fighting anyway. She was cheating on me. So a divorce was coming."

Emma frowned. Who the hell would want to cheat on David?

"I'm so sorry David. But I'm so glad you remember who you are. And you can live the life you want," Mary-Margaret said, reaching over and squeezing his hand.

David nodded and smiled a little. "That's what I told her."

"And she was cool with this?" Emma asked, tilting her head in confusion. Mrs. Nolan had not seemed to be the type. Or maybe that was just her persona in the classroom. Either way, Emma was glad to see that David was getting divorced.

Her eyes flickered to the clock on the wall and she gasped, jumping up when she realized what time it was. "Oh – I'm sorry but I promised Neal that I'd meet him at his place," she said, grabbing her bag and hooking it on her shoulder. "Thanks for dinner David. I had a great time tonight."

David smiled. "You're welcome Emma. Hopefully we'll be able to have more, yeah?"

Emma gave him a wide smile. "Yeah, of course! See you later!"

She hummed a silly Disney song as she made her way down the street to Mr. Gold's large house through the cold January air, knocking on the door quickly and smiling in relief as Neal opened it, pulling her quickly inside.

"Emma, what's the matter?" Neal asked as he ushered her quickly into his room.

She took a seat on his bed and pulled the book out, opening it to the Snow White story. "Take a look at this woman. See something familiar?"

Neal, though he tried (bless him), didn't seem all that surprised as he looked down at the book. "That… that looks exactly like Mary-Margaret only with long hair…"

He took the book into his hands and flipped through it, letting out a gasp. "Emma… take a look at the Evil Queen."

Emma felt weary as she looked down at the book, and put a hand to her mouth in shock.

The mayor stared up at her.

"Mayor Mills…" Emma said, staring as she flipped through the book, scanning the words quickly. It continued on after the famous kiss that woke her up. To their wedding. Emma smiled softly until the Evil Queen broke in on their wedding day and warned them of a curse. She kept reading, enchanted by the book. Snow White and Prince Charming working with Maleficent to try to stop it. Granny (looking exactly like the woman from the diner) knitting a blanket during war meetings.

A purple blanket.

Emma swallowed tight and forced herself to continue reading.

Snow and Charming were in a dungeon, visiting someone dangerous. Rumpelstiltskin.

Emma frowned at the scaly man. At least he didn't look familiar.

But then Snow White spoke.

The child's name was Emma.

She slammed the book shut. She couldn't read any further.

"Emma – "

"That can't be right. That can't be me," she whispered, whimpering a little.

"Hey – hey, Emma, it's okay," Neal said, biting his lip and wrapping his arms around her, pulling her onto his lap. "It's okay…"

"It's just a book… it's just a book… it's just a book…" she whispered against his shoulder.

* * *

Something was wrong. Not only was the clock moving, but things were changing in Storybrooke. Red Riding Hood and her grandmother were not fighting. Cinderella had been reunited with her prince. Charming had woken up.

Ever since those three had come into town.

Regina had a bad, bad feeling that this curse was getting ready to break. But she wouldn't let it.

She couldn't.

There had to be something she could do in order to stop this. She couldn't get them out of town – she had already tried that – but maybe there was something else that could be done. Something that would get her what she wanted and also get Snow White to be back where she belonged. Which was miserable and suffering.

She paced her office, biting down on her knuckle as she tried to think.

Even Sidney had failed her.

She took a long drink from the glass in her hand, the taste of the apple and the alcohol calming her somewhat. She was smart. She had managed to actually cast a curse that brought them all to a land without magic. Surely she could figure out a way to get rid of three minor inconveniences.

A motorcycle roared through the town, and Regina sighed over her glass as she looked outside, scowling when she saw two people, unfamiliar, on the bike parking outside of Granny's.

Make that _five_ inconveniences.


	16. Those Magic Changes

"Victoria has a date tonight. With that cute dock worker she met the other day," Sierra said.

 

Emma put her chin in her hand, not really paying attention to what her friend was saying.

 

"Emma? What's the matter?"

 

"I think I'm going crazy, Sierra," Emma said as she sat in Granny's one day after school. She hadn't told anyone else about the book except Neal, but she felt like she was going to explode, and she trusted Sierra to have some sort of sense about her when it came to this.

 

"What? Why?" her friend asked, frowning at her.

 

Emma let out a sigh and rubbed her eyes. "It's… complicated. It's this book Mary-Margaret got for me. It's… here, take a look," she exhaled, pulling the book out of her bag and setting it on the table in front of her. "There's just a lot of odd coincidences in it. Weird, weird coincidences."

 

Sierra frowned deeper, sliding a lemonade over to the person next to Emma that she hadn't realized had appeared.

 

"Hmm…" Sierra hummed, looking at it, before her eyes widened. "Whoa. That looks like…"

 

"David. Yeah. Right down to the mark on his chin. And look at this. I was reading Eddie Sherwood the Robin Hood story a couple weeks ago when I was babysitting him and…" she flipped to the story in question, stopping on one of the pictures of Robin Hood and Maid Marian.

 

Sierra stared. "What the – how is this possible?"

 

"Sometimes there is a magic in this world that people try to ignore," a man's voice said. Emma's head snapped up and she looked at a dark-haired man sitting on the stool next to her.

 

"Uh… what do you mean?" Emma asked, frowning.

 

The man laughed nervously, running a hand through his dark hair. "Nothing. Just something my old professor would say at the university. I'm a writer. Writers have a tendency to say weird things."

 

Emma laughed a little and grinned. "Might explain why some books are so long."

 

The man grinned. "Maybe. So what's that book there?" he asked, looking at the large book curiously.

 

"Oh – it's something my adopted mom gave me. She says she found it in her closet and she gave it to me when I moved in with her. It's a book of fairytales but it's… not like you would expect."

 

"Really? Huh. That's pretty cool of her. This is a really unique book. I've never seen stories like this. She really gave you something very special, Emma," he said, flipping through the book quickly.

 

"Uh… I didn't tell you my name."

 

"I heard you talking to your friend there," he said, jabbing a thumb in the direction of Sierra, who was serving the mayor's assistant.

 

Emma laughed a little. "Oh – right. Duh. Sorry. This book has just got me jittery for some reason."

 

"I don't think it should. After all, the thought of finding a happily ever after should be something to reach for yeah? Even if the people in this book look like the people in this town, doesn't that mean a happy ending is something to stride for, and easily tangible?"

 

Emma's lips pressed into a thin line as she looked down at the book. A happy ending being something to stride for was something enticing, she had to admit, but still, the thought of being a fairytale princess that needed to break a curse, well… it was a little daunting. "I guess…" she said softly. "Who are you, anyway?"

 

"Name's August. I'm scouting out small towns in America to write a new story," he said with a small smile. "And this is my friend Tamara."

 

Emma hadn't realized the woman next to him was with him. "Nice to meet you Tamara."

 

The woman looked at her and smiled. Emma couldn't help but think she looked vaguely like Sierra. "It's nice to meet you too Emma."

 

"Are you a writer too?" she asked, gently closing the book as she looked curiously at Tamara, who smiled and chuckled.

 

"No, no. I can't write like August can. I just asked to go with him. Since I had time off from work and everything," Tamara explained.

 

Emma wasn't so sure if she believed Tamara's story, but she stayed quiet for now. Instead, she simply smiled. If it got to it, she would go to Sheriff Graham and David and tell them something was wrong.

 

"Well that was really nice of him to let you come with him," she said with a small smile. "That's kinda how I ended up here. I came here with my boyfriend since his father lives here. We never left."

 

August gave her a grin. "Sounds like you're living in a fairytale of your own," he said, taking the last drink of his lemonade. "So don't worry about what a book says. You're doing just fine on your own."

 

She looked down at the book. "I wouldn't say fairytale. I had it rough before I met Neal and came here."

 

"Look at all the stuff Snow White and Cinderella had to go through. If anything, I'd say you're on your way to your own happy ending," August pointed out with a small shrug. "But like I said, don't let the book freak you out. If there's something familiar about it, go with that gut instinct. I have a feeling that's your specialty anyway."

 

How in the world was he able to read her like a book? Normally people weren't able to read her so easily but Mary-Margaret, Neal, and now this guy? Maybe she was losing her touch since growing roots here.

 

Or maybe August was right.

 

August slowly got off the stool, leaning on Tamara to steady him. When Emma's eyes flashed down, she noticed the wood on his leg.

 

"Hey – August… if you don't mind me asking, what happened to your leg?"

 

Something flashed in August's eyes, and he smiled. "Bit of an accident. But it's alright. It'll all be better soon."

 

Emma's head tilted in confusion as he hobbled out the door with Tamara.

 

"What in the world was that about?" Sierra asked, stepping back behind the bar to clean up the plates August and Tamara left behind.

 

"I have no idea," Emma said, shaking her head. "But I should get going myself. David's introducing us to his mother tonight."

 

Sierra grinned. "Have fun Emma." Her eyes darted to the door as it opened. "Whoa."

 

Emma stood, following Sierra's gaze. "What? What's wrong?"

 

"That's Lacey French. She's the librarian in town."

 

Emma quirked an eyebrow. "O-kay…?"

 

"She _never_ leaves the library. All she ever does is sit and work and then go home. When she _does_ eat, she sends Carina – Lucy Strand's sister – to get food. It's really weird," Sierra explained. "I'm really surprised to see her here."

 

Emma shrugged. "Well, with spring coming, maybe she wanted to start over like the flowers do. Anyway, I'll see you later Sierra."

 

Emma hopped off the stool and hoisted her bag onto her shoulder, looking over at Lacey and giving her a warm smile, fighting back a laugh of amusement at the startled look on the woman's face as the door swung shut behind her.

 

* * *

 

_The Evil Queen's Palace: One day before the curse is cast_

"Day number one thousand ninety-five," Belle whispered to herself as she leaned against the wall. Three years. She had been stuck here for three long years. She couldn't stand it much longer. She had tried everything she could think of in order to escape. Everything she had read in her books had failed her. She loved her books but the fact that they had failed her, well, it made Belle sad.

 

"Oh mother. I wonder what you would say if you knew I was here," she whispered, looking at the barred window at the blue sky. "I wonder if you would believe me to be dead or if you would be fighting for me, like I fought for Rumpelstiltskin…"

 

Belle liked to think that her mother would be sending out soldiers to look for her, no matter how long it had been. That would be what Belle would do. Even though she didn't have a child of her own.

 

Belle sighed and leaned back against the cold, stone slab she called a bed.

 

A loud bang from outside her door had her shooting up as tall as she could and staring at the door as it slowly creaked open, a robed figure standing in the doorway.

 

"W-who are you?"

 

The figure removed their hood, and a dark haired man looked at her with a frown. "You aren't Charlotte."

 

She shook her head, eyes wide. "I'm… I'm Belle."

 

"Belle? I was told Charlotte was in this cell."

 

She shook her head. "I'm afraid not. But – if you'd be so kind to help me out of here, I will be more than happy to help you look for her."

 

The man considered this for a moment, before nodding and undoing the binds that held her to the wall. "So what would the Evil Queen want with a beauty like you?" he asked.

 

Belle rubbed her sore wrists (they hadn't been untied since breakfast earlier in the day) and stood. "I – I don't know. I think I'm a pawn for Rumpelstiltskin of some sort."

 

The man's face hardened, although Belle couldn't tell if it was because she'd said Rumpelstiltskin's name or because of Regina locking her away. "I see. Well it's not unlike the Evil Queen to use humans as pawns."

 

"No, it isn't," she said as they stepped out of the tower. "And what is the name of the man that rescued me?"

 

"Killian. But you can call me Hook."

 

"Hook then…" Belle said. "If it helps, I heard of a prisoner in the next tower over. Another woman."

 

Hook nodded. "That is very helpful. Thank you Belle."

 

They ran at full speed to the next tower, Belle wincing as Hook knocked out one of the guards (she didn't dare to look if he had killed him) and opened the door.

 

"Charlotte!"

 

"Killian? Oh – you found me! Hurry, before the queen comes back!"

 

"You don't have to worry about her my lady. I've heard tale that she's going to be preoccupied for a spell with Maleficent," Hook said. "But I would like to hurry and get you out of here."

 

The woman rushed to the door, and with a quick introduction between Belle and Charlotte, they fled the Dark Palace.

 

"Thank you for your help, Belle. Is there anywhere I can take you?" Hook asked as they arrived at a ship.

 

"Avalonia. My kingdom," Belle said. She knew she should go to the Dark Castle and see Rumpelstiltskin, but she also knew that her father would be worried as well. And she really wanted to see him.

 

"Welcome aboard the Jolly Roger, ladies," Hook said. "Let's take off!"

 

Belle leaned back as the boat began to rock and move into open waters. Finally, after three years, she was free.

 

* * *

 

"I don't see why you don't just ask her out, Papa," Neal said, looking at his father with a small frown as Lacey French walked by the store window on her way home. Although the thought of his father being in love was a little disturbing, like it would be for any child, he wanted to see his dad happy.

 

"She doesn't remember me, Bae. And I can't believe she's alive. It might even be the real Belle," his father replied as he polished the unicorn mobile for what felt like the hundredth time in an hour.

 

"Papa, there's no magic here. Even if Regina was using someone against you, it has to really be her. Besides… you were willing to become the Dark One to protect me. Where's that same willingness to take a risk?"

 

"Bae – "

 

"Papa, if you don't, you're going to be miserable until Emma breaks the curse. You want to be completely happy, you have to do it now."

 

He saw his father swallow nervously before he took a deep breath and stepped outside. "Lacey?" he called quietly.

 

Neal stood by the window, trying not to look like he was eavesdropping.

 

"Oh – Mr. Gold, hello," Belle said quietly.

 

"Would you like to, perhaps, go to dinner sometime? Say, Friday?"

 

She looked shocked. "Really? Me?"

 

His father nodded.

 

"O-oh… I would like that very much. Sure. Friday. Six o'clock?"

 

"Six o'clock."


	17. Breakouts

The glass smashed against the far side of the room as Regina stared outside. Gold and Belle were on a date, hm? And it appeared that she was _enjoying_ herself? Well. There might not be anything Regina could do about the changes that had already taken place in Storybrooke, but she could try her hardest to make sure things didn't change _any_ further. The problem was, Regina still hadn't been able to figure out what that thing should be. What she did know, however, was that she would need help. And there were a couple of people she knew would be able to help her with her quest.

 

Ingrid, who was so desperate to take Emma swan away from here, and Jefferson. Dear Jefferson. The problem was, she would need to figure out a way to get him out of the asylum.

 

Then again, she was the mayor. She could do that with a snap of her fingers. Nurse Ratched would allow her access after all. There was a bit of magic left in Storybrooke. There had to be. With she and Ingrid in town, there had to be a way to figure out how to get things to go back to normal. To protect the curse.

 

Forever.

 

A knock on the door had her head snapping over to it. "What?!" she snapped.

 

Her sister entered the room, holding Lily in her arms. Regina normally wouldn't trust her sister with a baby, but since she was cursed into doing what Regina wanted, well…

 

"Madam Mayor… it's six o'clock. We should be heading home now… oh my God! What happened here? Are you alright?" her sister asked, eyes wide as she looked at the broken glass.

   


"Nothing. Do not worry about it, Bellatrix," she said, going up to her sister and lifting Lily into her arms. "There's my darling… I missed you today Lily."

 

Her daughter let out a soft coo and reached for a strand of hair. Regina chuckled and tapped her nose. It seemed like Lily was the only thing to bring her happiness during this curse. Besides seeing Snow Whit suffering of course. The problem was, she wasn't suffering anymore.

 

But that would all change soon. She would get what she wanted.

 

* * *

  


Jefferson scratched into the wall, trying in desperation to form a hole big enough to escape through. He knew, of course, that it wouldn't work (he had been trying to get out of here for eighteen years (or, six thousand five hundred and seventy seven days)), but there was nothing else to do in this blasted cell aside from pace, stare through the telescope, and try to escape.

 

But he couldn't. He hadn't been able to yet.

 

"DAMN YOU REGINA!" he shouted into the nothingness, dragging his fists down the sides of the cell. He wanted out of here. He missed his daughter. He missed the sky. The grass. The freedom.

 

Emma Swan was here. Why hadn't she done anything to break the curse? She was ten years early too. It was better than the twenty-eight years he had heard was supposed to happen with the curse. But still. This was far, far too long to be stuck in a damned asylum like some mad person.

 

A mad hatter.

 

He laughed bitterly at the thought, eyes moving to the door as he heard it creak open. Regina stood there, and a small snarl escaped him as she crossed her arms, looking far too casual as she leaned against the door.

 

"Hello Jefferson."

 

He growled and stared at her.

 

She moved into the room, closing the door behind her (although he could see the warden's hat just outside the door) and leaning against the small opening that he was given medication through. Ones he refused to take. Instead, Jefferson had ripped a hole in his mattress where he slipped the pills.

 

"What do you want, Regina?" he asked, staring at her.

 

"Would you like to get out of here?" she questioned, all too calmly.

 

"You know damn well I would."

 

She smirked. "Well good. Then you agree to help me with something."

 

He glared. "After what you did to me. After you locked me in here with nothing but a telescope to see my daughter with, why should I do anything for you?" he shot back.

 

"Because I can get your daughter back with you. I can rewrite you a new story, Jefferson. All you have to do is something small for me."

 

Jefferson narrowed his eyes. He had a very bad feeling about this. He had a view of a calendar hanging on the wall outside when he was able to see in the hallway. He knew time had started moving, and that the Savior was in town. If Regina needed something from him right now, that was not good.

 

Then again, the opportunity to get his daughter back, well, that was unbelievably tempting to the man.

 

"What do you want, Regina?"

 

"I need your hat, Hatter. I need you to get something for me, from a very specific day."

 

Jefferson frowned. What did that mean?

 

"Come, Jefferson," Regina said as she held out her hand. "There's a lot of work to do."

 

* * *

  


 

"So your son… I didn't know you had one," Belle – Lacey, he had to keep reminding himself – remarked as they made their way to Tony's for the date. "He seems like a nice guy. What happened, if you don't mind me asking."

 

He let out a small sigh. "No no, do not worry about asking. It is a… complicated story," he said, stroking his chin with his free hand. "When my son was fourteen, we got into a bit of a spat over who he was hanging around with. And I… was not the best parent at that point in time. I was more concerned over my… job than I was with actually spending time with Baelfire. It's something I regret every day. One night before I knew what was happening, he'd run off. I hadn't seen him until he showed up here before Thanksgiving."

 

Lacey's face fell. "That's so sad, Mr. Gold. I'm so sorry."

 

He shrugged a little and opened the restaurant door for her. "Do not apologize, Lacey. It is all in the past now, and that is all that matters. He is home now, and safe with me. And most importantly, he is happy with Emma. That is what I care about now," he said with a small smile.

 

"Well, it seems that you're both trying your best to make it work," she said with a small smile.

 

"We are. That's the important thing, is it not?"

 

He saw the fearful gaze of the host as they approached the station, and they were quickly seated. It seemed that Mr. Gold was still feared in this town, even though Bae was trying to help him change.

 

Rumpelstiltskin couldn't say he minded. He liked being feared. He liked the power it gave him. And with Baelfire with him, well, he just about had everything now.

 

Except Belle. But that would change after tonight, he hoped. And then he would fully have her back once Miss Swan broke the curse. With her father already free from it, Rumpelstiltskin prayed that it would take little time for that to happen.

 

"So tell me Lacey, how many books have you read in our fine library?" Rumpelstiltskin asked as he ordered a bottle of wine for them to split, not missing the faint blush on her cheeks as he spoke.

 

"Oh – I… I don't think I could tell you the number, Mr. Gold," she replied with a small giggle. "It seems like I've read everything. Even the children's books. But that's mostly because I want to make sure it's all appropriate for the section I put it in. And Carina's been a really big help too."

 

He smiled a little, expecting nothing less. "I can understand that. It's like when I go through all of my inventory for the shop," he said with a small smile. "I only trust Neal with certain things."

 

She nodded. "Yes, it's exactly like that! You know, everyone says you're really scary, Mr. Gold, but I don't think that at all."

 

He smiled a little. "Well thank you Lacey. I know I'm considered to be some sort of beast in this town. It's nice to hear someone say that I am not."

 

Really, it wasn't his fault that he had been able to convince Regina to let him be wealthy in this town.

 

Well, it was, but she didn't _have_ to listen to him. In fact, when his curse broke, he had been shocked to find out that he was as powerful as he was.

 

The conversation was soothing, Rumpelstiltskin found. She seemed to be having a good time, from what he could tell. He had seen the work Miss Swan had been doing so far with reuniting lost loves. Hopefully, he too would be lucky enough to have his love back.

 

Glancing over, he noticed Charming and Snow walking into the restaurant, and gave them a small nod in greeting as they were seated at the table across from he and Lacey. It felt odd, working with Prince Charming on something instead of making deals with him, but he supposed he would have to get used to things being odd, living in a cursed town.

 

Suddenly, the ground began to rumble, and out of instinct, he practically leaped out of his chair to pull Lacey close, in case, gods forbid, anything started flying. He tried desperately to control the blush that was tinting his cheeks when she buried her head in his chest in fear, pulling her to the ground and under the table carefully just as something shattered near them.

 

When the quaking stopped, the restaurant was deadly silent as the startled residents of Storybrooke looked at each other, trying to make sure that everyone was okay.

 

"Lacey, are you alright?" he asked as they carefully climbed back into their chairs.

 

"Yes, I'm okay," she replied, frowning as she noticed the shattered bottle of wine. "Oh – it doesn't look like our wine made it out safely."

 

He laughed a little. "No, it appears that's true," he chuckled, waving a waiter over to replace the bottle and clean up the mess. "That was very odd though – an earthquake in Storybrooke. I don't believe it's ever happened."

 

Lacey shook her head. "You're right. That hasn't happened. I wonder how it was triggered…"

 

He swallowed thickly, speaking loud enough so Charming could hear him. "I don't know. Maybe there's a magical dragon under the town somewhere that is getting anxious and wants out."

 

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a subtle jerking motion of the prince's hand, and Rumpelstiltskin knew that everything had clicked into place for him. It had to be Maleficent – she was nowhere else in the town, and Regina had her child. With things beginning to change, it was only natural that she was awakened and growing more powerful.

 

The next step, Rumpelstiltskin knew, was going to be tricky, but necessary if the town was to be kept standing.

 

They needed to find her and transform her back into a human.

  


  



	18. Springtime Blues

Spring had sprung in Storybrooke, Maine, and as the days were stretching into longer hours, the meeting times grew later, and Ingrid felt sleep trying to draw her into its grasp as she made her way to the meeting spot.

 

"A meeting in a cemetery. If I didn't know any better, Mayor Mills, I'd say you were up to something," Ingrid said as she stepped in front of the mayor and the man that was with her. She didn't recognize him – odd, considering she thought she knew the majority of the people that were in Storybrooke.

 

"Oh, I am. But believe me, this will benefit all three of us," the mayor replied with a small smirk. "You want your daughter back, do you not?"

 

Ingrid's eyebrow quirked. It wasn't like her desire to get Emma back was a big secret in Storybrooke, but to have it acknowledged, well, that was surprising, given that none of the lawyers seemed to be doing a damn bit of good for her.

 

"Yes, I do desire to have Emma back. What is your price for it?"

 

Regina shrugged. "It's not a hefty price. I just want you both out of my town before anything else goes wrong."

 

"Anything else? You mean that earthquake – "

 

"Happened because Miss Swan is changing things in town. Yes."

 

Ingrid frowned in confusion. "What exactly does Emma have to do with this? How could she change your town just by existing?"

 

"Oh come now Ingrid. You saw it yourself, I am sure. She is the Savior who can break my curse. I simply can't have that. So, I will get rid of her boyfriend, and you are free to take her back to Minnesota."

 

It would be nice, she knew, to have Emma back with her. But Ingrid was not a fool – she was very aware that things would not be the same between she and Emma if she got her back. She hesitated as she looked at the Evil Queen. She desperately wanted to have Emma to herself, but she knew that reacting on her emotions would only lead to heartbreak and pain.

 

Even if she wanted Emma back, and she did, desperately, she knew Emma would not go without a fight – after all, she had seen the way that other woman was with Emma. It was motherly. Tender. Just what Emma needed.

 

But… maybe she could warn Emma somehow, and prevent another tragedy. It would be good to make up for her mistakes in Arendelle.

 

Ingrid gave the mayor a small smile. "Very well, Regina. What do you need me to do?"

 

Regina simply smiled. "I just need a little bit of magic from you."

 

She quirked an eyebrow. "What sort of magic?" That was an odd request given they were in the Land Without Magic.

 

"Just the tiniest bit. Just enough for me to be able to get what I need."

 

Ingrid was suddenly very aware of the necklace she was wearing as she stopped to think of what little magic she had left on her.

 

She didn't particularly want to give it up – it was the last gift from Gerda before the _nightmare_ happened -  but she knew that by refusing, there would be no way for her to warn Emma of the impending dangers she was in.

 

Slowly, the Snow Queen unclasped the necklace from her neck and held it out to Regina. "Here you are, Regina. This necklace contains the last of my magic in this world."

 

Regina smirked as she took it, the man with the hat fiddling with it nervously as his eyes darted around between the two women.

 

"Come with me," Regina said, unlocking the mausoleum behind her. Ingrid and the nervous man followed, and Ingrid what had happened to the man in order to get him so nervous.

 

Taking a deep breath, Ingrid went down into the mausoleum.

 

"I see you're a bit of a collector, Regina," she remarked casually.

 

Soft laughter escaped from the former queen. "You could say that, yes."

 

"Let's get this over with," the man finally said. Ingrid had almost forgotten he was there.

 

"I'm sorry, who is this?" Ingrid asked, raising an eyebrow at the man.

 

"This is Jefferson. He's gone a little mad."

 

Madman, carrying a hat. No, it didn't take Ingrid very long to realize who Jefferson had once been in the Enchanted Forest. How odd that he would willingly work for any queen. Although, Ingrid supposed, this land had been woefully wrong about her own story, so all the gods knew what else these people could possibly have gotten wrong about these other stories.

 

"Hello Jefferson."

 

Jefferson merely nodded. "Ingrid."

 

So he knew who she was without any introduction. Ingrid wondered if that was because of Regina saying her name or because of something else.

 

Jefferson set the hat down and looked at Regina, who seemed to freeze at the realization of what she was about to do. Was it regret, Ingrid wondered?

 

Whatever it was, it didn't last for long, because the Evil Queen slipped a ring off her finger, gave it a kiss, and dropped it into the hat.

 

"What are you doing?" Ingrid asked.

 

"Going back in time," Regina replied as she reached into the hat.

 

" _What_?" Jefferson and Ingrid shouted at the same time.

 

"Regina, it's impossible to go back and change time," Ingrid said. She should know. She had tried multiple times to change time and prevent her sister's death.

 

"I'm not trying to change time. I'm trying to grab something out of – aha – time," Regina said, pulling her arm back.

 

Of all the things she expected to be clutched in the woman's fist, Ingrid could say that an apple didn't even cross her mind.

 

No. It wasn't just an apple, Ingrid realized. It was _the_ apple. The apple from the Snow White story that ended up putting Emma's mother into a sleeping curse.

 

"So if you were able to retrieve the apple with the last of your magic, why did you need the last of mine?" Ingrid asked, raising an eyebrow as the portal closed.

 

"I need it for a preservation spell," Regina said. "The apple already has a bite taken out of it from Snow White's curse. I need to find a way to preserve this apple from decay until I am ready to use it."

 

Ingrid realized only problem was, people couldn't be put under a sleeping curse more than once in their lives. If it wasn't Emma or Snow that would be the victim of this sleeping curse (at least, it better not have been Emma that was the intended target), who was?

 

* * *

 

 

It was May, and May meant prom was tonight. Emma had to admit, she was insanely nervous about tonight, as silly as it sounded. But Emma and Neal had never been to a prom before, and, since this was the first school she had been to for the majority of the year, she realized one thing as she stood in front of the mirror:

 

It had to go well, regardless of what she looked like.

 

Graduation was only a few weeks after prom, which was a terrifying thought in Emma's opinion. She hadn't even thought about colleges or anything – she was perfectly happy staying in Storybrooke after graduation.

 

But something was bothering her. Mary-Margaret had actually taken the previous two days off from work – and she never missed work, at least, that was what she understood from Sierra and Victoria, who were just as worried about the teacher.

 

Brushing out her hair, Emma winced at the sound coming from the downstairs toilet. Mary-Margaret clearly was ill, which was odd.

 

At a knock on the door, Emma rushed downstairs to answer it as she heard the bathroom door creak open.

 

"David!"

 

The man gave her a weak smile. "Hey Emma. How's your mom feeling?"

 

"Not so good David…" she replied, biting her lip. "I'm trying to help best I can but tonight is prom so..."

 

David chuckled. "So you're busy getting ready for it. I get it."

 

"David…" Mary-Margaret said weakly from the doorway.

 

"Mary-Margaret… I got the stuff you asked me to," David replied as he made his way to her and gently embraced her, helping her back to the couch.

 

"Oh, thank you David. Emma…" Mary-Margaret said softly, reaching out her hand, which Emma took as she sat down next to her mother. "Let me finish your hair before Neal gets here."

 

"Mom – don't worry about it, really. As long as you feel better," Emma said, squeezing her mother's hand gently. She knew it wouldn't work – Mary-Margaret had been determined to help her with all aspects of prom shopping, going so far as to join Sierra, Victoria and  Emma as they went shopping for dresses. Luckily Sierra's mother had joined in as well, or it could have been awkward.

 

"No – no. When's the next time I'm going to be able to help you get ready for a dance like this?" she asked with a small smile as she picked up the brush. "Are you sure you didn't want to get ready with all of your friends? I know Sierra and Victoria invited you along."

 

"I know that. But yeah, I'm sure. I never had the chance to have my mom help me get ready for dances, and we're going to be going to the docks to take pictures," Emma replied. She had friends in the past, but never had she really had a mother figure around the time of a school dance. This was her last chance. If she was only going to get two school dances out of her life, then she was going to take advantage of it, especially since she had a mother as wonderful as Mary-Margaret.

 

David smiled and took a seat, watching them, and Emma couldn't help but grin. "Isn't this boring for you, David?" she questioned.

 

He shook his head. "Not at all."

 

There was something in his face, but Emma couldn't tell what it was. It looked like love, maybe some sort of pride? But there was also a hint of sadness. That was strange – why would David be sad about her? She was his girlfriend's adopted daughter. It's not like he missed out on seventeen years of her life.

 

Mary-Margaret finished pinning Emma's hair back in elaborate braid and smiled. "Finished. You can go ahead and get dressed now," she said.

 

Emma smiled and made her way upstairs to her room, putting on the soft pink prom dress she'd picked out, twirling around in it with a giggle. She had to admit, she never thought her life would be like this. A boyfriend that loved her, a mother that swooped in and took her in after only knowing her for a few hours, and a father figure in David.

 

When Neal arrived, with Mr. Gold and (strangely, Emma thought) Lacey French in tow, Emma realized her smile would not be going away any time soon.

 

They took photos of just she and Neal (and she and Mary-Margaret) in the apartment first before the three couples made their way out the door to meet Sierra, Victoria, and their dates.

 

As the door closed behind Emma, she never noticed the positive pregnancy test sitting on the kitchen table.


	19. Expanding Family

It was amazing, watching Emma with Victoria, Sierra, and the other friends she'd made this year, Neal realized as he took a break from dancing, his eyes on his girlfriend as she and the others did one of the stupid line dances people in this world loved. It seemed strange that only around a year ago, Emma had walls that could have been seen from space, barely trusting she and Ali to help get her out of Chicago and away from Ingrid's line of fire. Now they were here, dancing and enjoying themselves with friends. Granted, Ingrid was still here, but Emma was safer now than she was in Chicago.

 

Swaying with Emma as the slow song played, Neal smiled as he pressed a kiss against her head. He'd never been to a prom before. He'd never been to a _dance_ before.

 

He'd dreamed, of course, of going to the dances that the Duke held back in the Enchanted Forest, and when he'd stayed with the Darling family, he dreamed of growing up and going to the dances like Mr. Darling, but after Neverland and once he'd gotten to this world, scared and unsure of where to go, he hadn't thought dances were possible for him anymore.

 

She shifted against his chest, pulling away enough so they could talk comfortably. He looked down at her in slight concern.

 

"You okay?" he asked softly.

 

She nodded. "Yeah. It's just… I think Mary-Margaret might be pregnant."

 

He stared at her, gaping. Not that he wouldn't be happy for Snow White and Prince Charming if they were expecting a baby but still. Snow White had no idea of the dangers she was in right now. The fact that Prince Charming was so ignorant of something like a condom would have been funny if Regina wasn't on the warpath and the curse was still in effect. Then again, Neal thought, accidents happened, and Snow White was still cursed. She knew about condoms.

 

"You're gaping, Neal," Emma said, a teasing smile on her face.

 

"I – sorry I'm just surprised. They've only been dating a couple of months," he said. "How are you feeling about it?" That was one of the most important things in this matter after all.

 

"I'm not sure what to think of it," Emma replied with a small shrug. "I mean, I'm really happy for them, of course. They deserve to have happiness but… I'm afraid that with a new baby, they won't want me. I mean – David isn't even my father legally but sometimes I look at him and I think how amazing it would be if he was. He's such a good guy and he looks at me like I'm his and I don't want a baby to take that away from me. Not like last time…"

 

Neal stared and pulled her close, guiding her off the dance floor and out into the courtyard of the banquet center, both of them sitting down on a bench. "Oh Emma. I don't think that will happen again."

 

Her shoulders shook a little, and Neal rubbed her back gently.

 

"What if it does?" she whispered, clinging to him.

 

"Emma… I know you don't remember much about your first foster home, but I promise you, Mary-Margaret and David would never, ever forget you, or send you back. They can't anyway – you're not a foster child anymore. You are Mary-Margaret's daughter," Neal said, "and I'm sure David thinks of you as a daughter too."

 

Emma sighed. "I know, I know… I'm sure I'm being worried for nothing but it just… hurt so badly the first time, you know?"

 

He nodded and rubbed her back. "I know Emma. But I swear to you, it won't be like that. And if it does end up being true that she is pregnant, and for some reason if they do start acting like your original foster parents, then I'll take you away from there."

 

He had to tell his father, Ali and August when he got a moment to himself. Emma and her family needed protection now – or, really, more than they already needed. While the possibility of a pregnancy was exciting – Emma's parents certainly deserved it considering they had missed out on seventeen years of her life – but with the curse still in effect, Neal was incredibly nervous about it. They needed to find a way for Emma to break the curse, and fast.

 

Standing up, Neal held his hand out to Emma for her to take and pulled her close as they swayed in the courtyard under the stars.

 

But still, there was a nervous knot in his stomach.

 

Later that night (or was it early morning?), as they laid tangled in the sheets in a room in Granny's Bed and Breakfast, Emma sleeping beside him, Neal pulled out his cell phone and quickly sent a text out to his father, Ali, and August.

 

_"Emma thinks her mother might be pregnant."_

Neal closed his phone and set it down on the bedside table, before wrapping his arm around Emma and closing his eyes.

* * *

 

 

Well, this was an interesting twist that not even his ability would have caught in the Enchanted Forest.

 

Pregnant.

 

Well, possibly.

 

Regardless, that was enough for Rumpelstiltskin to become concerned. While he believed, of course, that Snow White and Prince Charming deserved to have another child after what had been taken from them, to have one before the curse was broken, while Snow White was still cursed, well, this was something he didn't foresee. Not at all.

 

He stared down at his phone, lips pressed into a thin line as he wracked his brain, trying to think. There was a small, small glimmer that she might not be, that she simply came down with a case of food poisoning or some sort of other bug (she was, after all, a teacher). But if she was pregnant, they needed a plan.

 

But first, they needed to gather to make sure everyone stayed safe.

 

Hoisting himself up from his bed, Rumpelstiltskin frowned when he heard a knock on his door. Neal had a key to this place. It shouldn’t have been him. So who was it then?

 

He moved downstairs and pulled the door open, surprised to find Ruby standing on the other side, a bag from the diner in her hand.

 

"I didn't order anything."

 

"I know. The voice on the other end of the line didn't make my skin crawl. You have an admirer, Mr. Gold," Ruby replied, holding the bag out. "It's already paid for."

 

He should have been offended at the remark about his voice, but he was still in surprise that breakfast had been delivered to him.

 

"Right," was all he managed to say, reaching for his wallet and pulling out a twenty-dollar bill.

 

"Mr. Gold, I said you don't have to – "

 

"It's your tip, Miss Lucas."

 

She blinked, surprised as she took the money. "Oh. Thank you, Mr. Gold…"

 

He nodded and stepped back, holding the bag and closing the door behind him as he frowned a little. Who would have sent him breakfast?

 

Regardless, he was hungry, and though the bag wad dripping with grease (really? How could breakfast food have so much grease in it?), it did smell delicious. So, he took a seat at the table and pulled the to-go box out of the bag. An omelette and hashbrowns. How strange that someone would send him this.

 

When he pulled out the ketchup for the hashbrowns, he heard the door open and close.

 

"Papa?"

 

He smiled and lifted his head. "Bae. How was the ball?"

 

" _Prom_ , Papa. They call them prom here," his son replied, stepping into the room, still dressed in the clothes he'd been wearing when he left. Or, most of them anyway. "And it was fun. Emma seemed to have a blast even though she was worried about her mother being pregnant." His son paused when he noticed the table. "You actually ordered take-out from Granny's?"

 

Rumpelstiltskin nodded slowly. "Yes, I saw your text this morning when I woke up. I don't know what we're going to do. And no, I didn't call for Granny's. It was delivered to me."

 

Neal smiled a little. "Maybe it was Belle."

 

The man blinked, mentally smacking himself for not thinking about Belle having sent this to him. "Perhaps it was. But what are we going to do about the potential Nolan pregnancy?" he asked with a small frown.

 

Neal pressed his lips together. "I don't know, Papa. The curse is still in effect, so it's not like we can ask Emma's mother to stay hidden from Regina. That wouldn't be fair and she wouldn't understand why," he said with a sigh.

 

He took a sip of tea. "How is Emma feeling about it?"

 

"She's worried, Papa. She's afraid of being forgotten."

 

Frowning, the man took a deep breath. "I see." That complicated things. But the whole curse was complicated, wasn't it? He couldn't wait until it broke and they were all able to go home. "But I cannot see Snow or Charming forgetting her. Even if one of them is cursed."

 

Neal nodded. "I know, Papa; they wouldn't. Providing she _is_ pregnant of course."

 

"Of course," Rumpelstiltskin said softly. "Of course…"

 

Rumpelstiltskin wasn't a fan of many people, but Emma was important to his son, and her parents were important to her, and therefore, he supposed, Snow White and Prince Charming were going to be important to him as well.

 

Perhaps, he thought, his family would be expanding.

 

* * *

 

 

_"Okay Emma. It'll be okay. You're going to go in there and talk to Mary-Margaret about prom and she'll giggle and look at you like you're her whole world. It'll be fine,"_ Emma thought to herself as she stood outside the apartment.

 

The girl took a deep breath and pushed the door open, instantly spotting the scrapbook laying on the coffee table. From the doorway, she could see the photos from last night aligned on one of the pages.

 

_"See? She doesn't want to send you back or forget about you, even if she is pregnant."_

Her stomach was still in a knot as she closed the door behind her. "I'm home!"

 

"Emma!" Mary-Margaret called from upstairs, rushing down to embrace her. "I'm so glad you're home. How was prom?"

 

Emma smiled and returned the hug, relieved as she pulled off Neal's suit jacket and hung it on the coat rack. "It was amazing. You should have seen the way the room was decorated. It was like something out of a fairytale."

 

Why did her stomach lurch at the thought of fairytales?

 

She shook her head slightly and blushed as she spoke again. "And then Neal got us a room at Granny's. He decorated it really sweetly too." That was as far as she would go. Mary-Margaret was her mother. She didn't exactly want to talk about intimacy with her mother.

 

Still, there was a smile on the woman's face that had Emma realizing Mary-Margaret knew _exactly_ what she was talking about.

 

"I'm glad you had a good time, sweetheart," Mary-Margaret replied, hugging her again. "I've already started the scrapbook page of the pictures we took last night."

 

Emma smiled and looked at the scrapbook. "I see that. I didn't realize you were going to be working on it so soon," she said with a laugh, looking at the woman again. "You look much better today than you have the past few days. How are you feeling?"

 

Mary-Margaret smiled and moved a piece of hair out of Emma's face. "I'm feeling much better. What David got for me yesterday has been working for me. But there is something that I need to tell you," she said, taking a seat on the couch and gesturing for Emma to do the same.

 

Emma's heart stopped as she did as she was told, swallowing tight.

 

"You know that David and I have been seeing each other for a couple of months now, right?" she asked.

 

Emma nodded.

 

"Well… things have moved quicker than we expected… and it turns out that I'm… pregnant."

 

She took a sharp intake of breath.

 

"Oh…" she said softly. Okay. It was happening. It was really happening. Mary-Margaret was pregnant. She was going to be a big sister.

 

"Emma?"

 

"I'm… I'm okay," she said with a weak smile. "I – I'm just… surprised. Worried."

 

"Worried? Oh – that we'll leave you," Mary-Margaret said. "Oh Emma. I'm so sorry! You don't have to worry about that at all. I promise. You are my daughter. _Our_ daughter."

 

Emma paused and felt her eyes widen. "Our?"

 

"Of course, Emma. He's even going to ask Mr. Gold for adoption papers so he can adopt you. I know you're going to be eighteen in October but – "

 

Tears escaped from Emma's eyes. "Yes. I'd love that!" she cried. She didn't know why, but her gut was telling her that this would be different. That Mary-Margaret and David wouldn't forget about her, even after she graduated and was out on her own. "I'm going to be a big sister," she whispered, a giddy smile on her face. "We're going to have a family of four…"

 

Mary-Margaret smile and nodded, rubbing Emma's back. "That's right."


	20. Down in New Orleans

Emma couldn't help but have an extra bounce in her step as she made her way to Granny's the next Saturday after prom. David had moved in with them, and with the baby coming, things were really starting to feel like the families she saw on TV or in movies, or even in Storybrooke. The Sherwood family came to mind.

 

She smiled and waved as she passed by Lissa, who was walking with one of the bakers from the Sherwood bakery.

 

"Emma, this is Xander. Xander, this is Emma Swan. She's one of the ones that saved Ashley's life a couple of months back," Lissa said.

 

"Ah! Lissa's told me so much about you!" Xander said with a smile. "And Eddie can't stop talking about you either."

 

Emma chuckled a little. "It's no big deal. I just wanted to make sure she was okay."

 

"She's doin' great. You saw her at prom, yeah?"

 

Emma nodded and smiled. "Yeah, I did. She looked great. I just wanted to be sure. Victoria and Sierra were really scared for her when she disappeared."

 

"You really did a good thing in getting her back Emma. I can't thank you enough…" Lissa said with a small smile. "Things were rough with Ashley and I for a while but things have looked up since she gave birth."

 

"I'm glad to hear that," Emma said, glancing up at the clock tower. "I'm really sorry to cut the conversation short, but I'm meeting Sierra for dinner."

 

"Well then, we won't keep you," Lissa said with a smile. "I just wanted to thank you again for saving Ashley."

 

Emma smiled and nodded, before heading off to Granny's, where she found Sierra squealing with her boyfriend, Nanda. Emma watched her throw her arms around his neck, kissing him and laughing. Emma couldn't help but smile as she slid onto a stool next to Victoria.

 

"Sounds like something good happened," she said with a grin, looking at Victoria.

 

Victoria nodded. "I have no idea what, but obviously, it was a good thing."

 

Sierra and Nanda finally pulled away, and Nanda gave her a grin before heading out the door.

 

"You'll never guess what happened!" Sierra squealed.

 

"Clearly it was something," Emma joked. "What was it?"

 

Another squeal. "Nanda's taking me to New Orleans after graduation! He's finally saved up enough money _and_ got his parents' blessing!"

 

Victoria shrieked and Emma grinned. "That's fantastic!" Sierra had been talking about going to New Orleans as long as Emma had known her. According to Victoria, Sierra had been talking about it for years.

 

Emma smiled as Sierra pulled out her pad of paper and took their orders, chattering the entire way about everything she wanted to see and do in New Orleans. It was so good to see that her friend was getting what she deserved.

 

"And I'm going to get Mama a new cookbook. Not that she needs one but I really want to get her some of that southern cooking that she grew up on, you know? And I can't exactly bring food home…" Sierra sighed happily. "New Orleans… I can't believe Nanda finally managed to find a way to get us there."

 

* * *

 

 

_The Enchanted Forest, one year before the Dark Curse was cast._

 

The kingdoms of Orleans and Maldonia were in the middle of another heat wave, and it had Prince Naveen concerned for the well-being of his people, and the people from the kingdom in which Tiana hailed from. The two kingdoms had been close for years, working and living together. Never once had they warred with each other or given the other cause for anger, despite their political differences. Orleans didn't have a kingdom, but Maldonia did, but even that hadn't caused tensions or stress.

 

Until this heat wave started of course. If the heat wave kept up much longer, he didn't know how much longer the reserves of fresh water, or the peace between the kingdoms, would last. He wasn't a king yet, but watching the stress it was taking on his parents was terrible to see. Naveen wanted to do what he could in order to help ease their minds. But he had no idea what.

 

The Prince's dark eyes scanned the horizon, the sun had been set for hours now, and the air was still thick with humidity. It should be raining with that much moisture in the air. He could see Ray and Evangeline's stars shining near the palace as they always did, and he forced himself to smile a little.

 

"Naveen, come back to bed," he heard Tiana say from behind him.

 

He let out a sigh and ran his hand through his hair as he closed the door to the balcony behind him. "Tiana, what are we going to do? We're going to run out of fresh water soon. Even in the palace."

 

Tiana pressed her lips together and sighed. "I don't know, Naveen. I'm doing my best to conserve the water but… without rain or some sort of miracle… I don't know what else we can do."

 

Naveen closed his eyes. "I just don't understand why we're lacking in rain. It's like… magic is doing this to us."

 

Tiana shivered. "Don't mention magic. Haven't we been through enough when it comes to magic?"

 

He sat next to her on the bed and wrapped an arm around her. "Of course we have. But it's just… suspicious. It's almost like something Facilier did. Maybe… maybe magic isn't always bad. Maybe it can be used for good," Naveen said softly.

 

Tiana ran a hand along her face. "But how do we know who to trust?"

 

"I don't know…" Naveen sighed. "But there has to be a way, right? After all, it took bad magic to turn us into frogs, but it also took magic to turn us back to humans. That shows that magic can be used for good as well as evil, right?"

 

Tiana sighed. "I guess Naveen but… it makes me nervous."

 

"I know. So let's talk about something that won't make us so nervous. How is Charlotte doing?" Naveen asked. The topic of her best friend was bound to be better than the stressful topic of politics.

 

Although, at the question, instead of lighting up in the smile Naveen had fallen in love with in an instant, Tiana's face fell into worry. A deeper sense of worry than the political discussion, and Naveen was kicking himself for asking.

 

"I don't know. I haven't heard from her in weeks… and you know we write to each other every few days," Tiana replied. "I'm worried, Naveen. What if she's lost? Or in danger?"

 

Naveen frowned and rubbed her back. "I'll send out a search party to look for her. I'll make sure we know what's happened, Tiana. But… didn't you say she was around pirates from her last letter?"

 

Tiana shrugged and nodded. "Yes, but according to her this pirate is a good man. Charlotte wouldn't let herself get swept up with pirates if she didn't feel like he was a good man. You should have seen her when they would come to Orleans. She'd turn and run the other way."

 

Naveen couldn't help but chuckle. "Surprised she would, knowing how anxious she was to find her True Love."

 

She scoffed. "You know she has taste."

 

A laugh escaped him as he kissed her head. "Come on. Let's get some sleep. If you don't get something from her tomorrow I'll send out some of our men."

 

She nodded slowly. "Alright Naveen. Thank you."

 

"Anything for you Tiana."

 

The royal couple laid back on their bed, their eyes closing as they drifted off to sleep, worries still in their hearts and minds.

 

Little did they know that one of these worries would be easily fixed by the old hag eavesdropping from the next room.

 

When she heard the breaths of the princess and prince even out, the old hag smirked and disappeared in a cloud of purple smoke, appearing in the palace of Queen Regina. Another cloud of smoke revealed the queen herself, standing in a dark purple gown done up with her favorite style of jewels.

 

Regina smirked. "So they're finally realizing the cost of betrayal is. Good," she said softly.

 

"Your majesty?"

 

She turned and smiled at her lucky magic mirror. "Hello Sidney. Do you have news for me?"

 

"We found the girl you requested. The guards are bringing her to the palace as we speak," Sidney told her with a smirk.

 

Regina grinned. "Excellent, thank you Sidney."

 

The mirror went silent, and Regina looked out at the view, waving her hand in the direction of Orleans and Maldonia, allowing it to finally begin to rain. She let out a sigh of relief as the magic left her fingertips. Redirecting the rain had been hard on her, but it was worth it, in her opinion. After the rulers had sided with Snow White in the war, Regina had no other option but to show them what it meant to go against Regina. But now? Now she had something better.

 

She had Charlotte La Bouff, Princess Tiana's very best friend. And denying someone a happy ended was the worst tragedy of them all.

 

And the best revenge.

 

* * *

 

 

Granny's was never a place Regina exactly liked  to go to, but with Emma in town, she knew she needed to keep an eye on her when Sidney could not. It was helpful that she had her darling Lily there as an excuse to go there. Something quick and easy, and a place for Lily to look at all the people, which was her favorite thing to do.

 

Regina couldn't help but frown as she observed Emma Swan. She was also confused as to why Charlotte La Bouff was out and about, rather than trapped in her dungeon. Regina was the first to admit, she didn't check up on her prisoners that often, but she hadn't realized they had managed to escape. Perhaps it had happened the day she cast the curse. She was quite busy that day.

 

Still, she hated things were changing in her town, in her curse. She could even feel the magic beginning to weaken. She needed to figure out what she was going to do with the poisoned apple, and fast, before Emma Swan managed to undo everything Regina had been striving for.


	21. Ali's Story

Tamara was nervous as she looked up from the calendar on her phone. They'd been here for months, and she hadn't heard from August yet today, and Marco – Gepetto, she mentally corrected – hadn't seen him either. August had been helping his father out with his handyman work and was always on time. Perhaps it was part of the guilt for what he did to Emma, or perhaps Pinocchio was growing up, but either way, he hadn't been seen yet today and it had her on edge.

"Excuse me, Granny?" Tamara asked as the older woman passed by her table in the diner. "Have you seen August today? He isn't answering his phone."

Granny frowned. "You know, I haven't. He usually requests a wake-up call so he can get to Marco's early to help him with his work. He never requested one yesterday for this morning…"

Tamara bit her lip. "If it isn't too much trouble… do you think I could maybe… get a key to his room to check on him?

Granny sighed and rubbed her chin with her hand. "Well, I suppose that wouldn't be a problem. Let me get this order in and then I'll head to the bed and breakfast to get you that key."

"Thank you," Tamara said, taking a last sip of her coffee.

She didn't know August that well – quite frankly, she only used him to get to Storybrooke so she could see her family again, but she knew it couldn't be good that he was missing. She was far from a hero, but even an idiot would do the right thing in this case.

"Oh August," she whispered. "What's happened to you?"

It felt like it took forever for Granny to grab her keys, but eventually, the older woman returned, and Tamara slid her money onto the table as she followed her to the bed and breakfast.

Granny handed her the spare key to August's room along with a slip of paper. Tamara frowned and looked at the woman.

"It's Sheriff Graham's and Doctor Whale's numbers. Just in case."

She smiled gratefully. "Thank you."

Granny nodded and went back downstairs. Tamara could hear the door close, signaling the woman's exit.

Shaking a little as she opened the door, she stared as she found August laying on the bed, unmoving.

"August?! Oh my God, what's happened?!" she cried as she slammed the door behind her and rushed to the bed.

"Curse…" he whispered, the wood already up to his chest. "Needs to break… get Neal… or Gold, Charming… or Ali…"

Tamara hurried to his cell phone and flipped to the first number she saw – Ali's.

"Ugh – August, what do you want?" came a disgruntled voice at the other end of the line.

"No, no this isn't August! It's his friend, Tamara."

The line went silent for a moment before Ali spoke again. "Tamara. Is that really you?"

"Yeah. It's really me. Been a while Aladdin."

\----------

Agrabah, the day of the curse.

"I can't do this!" Aladdin shouted as he flopped down on the bed.

"Aladdin, you can, I know you can…" Jasmine said as she took a seat next to him. "You just have to believe in yourself, and know that the people of Agrabah are behind you in every step of the way… not to mention my father."

"Jasmine, I'm not meant to be Sultan when your father passes away," Aladdin sighed. "I mean, we couldn't even fully stop Jafar, and then he almost destroyed Wonderland!"

"That wasn't your fault, Aladdin. None of us knew that someone would find that lamp and open it. And he's been handled now so…"

"Your majesties, I'm sorry to interrupt, but Al, you have a visitor," Genie said as he quietly knocked on the door, standing awkwardly in the doorway. That was something he'd never thought he'd see - Genie being awkward.

"Who is it, Genie?" Jasmine asked, raising an eyebrow.

"She didn't say her name. All she said was that she knows who you are, Al," Genie replied, stepping aside.

Aladdin looked up and stared at the young teen that had entered the room behind the Genie.

"Tamara? Is that you?" he asked, eyes wide.

Tamara smiled a little and nodded. "It's really me, Aladdin… or should I say, Prince Aladdin."

Jasmine looked confused. "Aladdin… who is this?"

Aladdin grinned and beckoned Tamara over to where Jasmine was seated on their bed. "Jasmine, this is Tamara. She was a friend of mine from when I was living on the streets. I hadn't seen her since the incident with Jafar."

His fiancée didn't seem convinced of this, but he saw her give Tamara a warm smile. "Well, welcome to the palace, Tamara."

"Thank you, Princess Jasmine. It's such an honor to meet you!" Tamara said with a giggle. "Wow, look at me, a street rat just like Aladdin, in the palace!"

"Yeah, look at you…" Jasmine said lightly. Aladdin could see Jasmine's eyes, full of thinly-veiled distrust, and his heart sank. While he knew that not everyone living on the streets on Agrabah was like him, with hearts of gold and whatnot, he trusted Tamara.

Looking over at Genie, he saw the same nervous look and frowned slightly. "Hey Tamara, why don't we go for a walk and catch up?" he suggested. If Tamara was going to show her true colors, he knew it wasn't going to be around Jasmine and Genie.

There was a flicker of disappointment on Tamara's face, but she nodded slowly. "Sure, Aladdin. I'd like that a lot." The tone was one of un-hidden disappointment from someone not as well-versed in hiding emotions as Jasmine, or any other royalty would be.

Aladdin shared a glance with Jasmine as he left the room with Tamara and led her outside the palace gates, toward their old hiding place at the edge of town.

"So, what brings you to the palace Tamara?" Aladdin asked. "It seems odd that you'd choose now of all times to show up."

Tamara shrugged as they climbed up to the lookout. "You seemed like you had a lot on your plate that's all. Besides, I've been traveling. There's a curse, have you heard?"

"Queen Regina's, from Misthaven. I've heard. Jasmine and I were at the wedding when she made her threat," Aladdin said, pressing his lips together and shivering a little. "I feel really bad for Snow White and Prince James. What a terrible thing to happen at their wedding." It'd be like if Jafar had the chance to interrupt his and Jasmine's upcoming wedding. 

He'd have handled it the same way Prince James had.

"I've heard it's been cast and it's on its way," Tamara said. 

Aladdin's eyes grew wide and he looked out at the horizon, seeing a faint purple fog barreling toward Agrabah.

"That's why I brought you out here, Aladdin."

"No. I have to get to her. JASMINE!" he shouted, scrambling down the lookout as the bells in town indicated the curse was imminent.

He didn't see the blue dome that was coming from the other side, only noticing it as it flew over his head and he crashed into it just as the curse covered the palace.

"No… NO! JASMINE! SULTAN! GENIE! ABU!" he shouted, pounding against the dome. "I HAVE TO GET TO THEM! LET ME THROUGH!"

"You always were a better street rat than a prince, Aladdin. You would have known that curse was coming long before I noticed it…" Tamara said from behind him as he watched in horror as the curse bounced harmlessly off the dome.

He spun, glaring at her. "You wanted this. You wanted me to be separated from her. Why?"

"I just wanted you to remember who you are, Aladdin. A street rat."

His eyes were wild. "Then this street rat is going to find a way back to his princess," he said, already beginning to walk away from her.

He could see the smirk on her face as he made his way through the desert with nothing but the clothing on his back.

Day 5,840…

He'd taken to ripping small sections of his clothing in order to tell time. Sixteen years had passed, and he hadn't aged a day.

Agrabah was completely desolate, as were the surrounding villages.

Aladdin had made it to a winter kingdom – Arendelle, from what he remembered, and yet that too was empty.

"I know what you seek…" a voice said from behind him as he stopped at a river to get some water.

He swallowed and looked up at the old man that appeared before him. "And what is it that I seek?"

"You seek answers. You wish to go to the place your beloved Jasmine is. And I know a way to get you there, Prince Aladdin."

Aladdin frowned as he slowly rose from his position. "How do you know my name?"

"I am an apprentice of the great sorcerer Merlin. I see your pure heart and your willingness to help others before yourself. And I see the desperation in you to get back to Jasmine," the man explained.

He frowned. "Yes. That's all true. But why would you agree to help me?"

"Because your ah… friend, was she? Tamara. She has found a way to the Land Without Magic, where everyone was cursed to."

He froze, his heart pounding in his chest. "She's already there? I have to get back to Jasmine, I have to save her!"

The man held up his hand. "Easy young man. She is in the wrong area, and will not get to that place for a few years yet. But you… I can get you there now. I can get you to another boy like you, trying to find his home. I have seen what your destiny is, Aladdin. It is a noble one indeed."

Aladdin stepped back as the man waved his hand and a doorway appeared to his side.

"There is a boy you'll find named Neal Cassidy in this world. And you both will direct the Savior to where your beloved Jasmine is."

Neal Cassidy. The Savior. He would help the Savior find Jasmine.

"Okay," Aladdin whispered. "Okay, I'll go. As long as I can see Jasmine again."

"Good choice."

The man snapped his fingers and Aladdin suddenly was dressed in an outfit he'd never seen before. "I don't – "

"It's the fashion of this world. Trust me. You will need it," the man said, snapping his fingers again and starting the portal. "Now go, hurry."

Aladdin took a deep breath and rushed through the portal, not knowing the world that lay ahead of him.

\----------

"Give me one good reason why I should help either of you?" Ali asked, crossing his arms as he stared at Tamara and August. Both of these idiots had hurt or attempted to hurt him or the people he cared about.

"Aladdin – " Tamara started.

"No. It's your fault I was separated from Jasmine to begin with. If you hadn't led me out to the hideout I would have been cursed with her."

"Are you sure you would rather have been cursed given how many couples have been separated?" August asked from the bed.

"It's certainly better than what Tamara did to me. When I was wandering from kingdom to kingdom for sixteen years trying to find where you all had gone. Whatever you want from me? You're on your own."

"Emma needs to break the curse!" August said as loud as he could. "Before I turn back to wood she needs to break the curse!"

He rolled his eyes. "Don't you think I know that? But I can't force her to believe what she doesn't want to believe, August. If Emma wants to believe in the curse and find a way to break it…" he moved over to the door and opened it. "She'll do it in her own time. Not yours."

Little did any of them know, that would be sooner than Aladdin expected…


	22. Graduation

_June 2 nd, 2001._

Graduation day. Emma was nervous as she looked at herself in the mirror. She didn't think this day would ever come. After how many foster homes over her seventeen years of living, and just as many schools, Emma didn't expect to graduate from one of them. She expected to drop out and not have any sort of degree.

 

But here she was, getting ready to graduate from Storybrooke High School with two parents that loved her, a boyfriend that supported her, and friends that would stand by her no matter what. Just a year ago, she didn't think she would have any of it, and now she had so much love she didn't know what to do with it.

 

"Emma?"

 

She turned to find Mary-Margaret standing behind her, dressed in a light pink sundress and holding the book she'd first given to her when she'd moved in with her. Emma hadn't been able to find it for the past couple of weeks, and her eyes lit up.

 

"You found the book!" she squealed, practically dancing across the floor to her adoptive mother and hugging her. "Where in the world was it?"

 

"It was under David's truck. The storm last night must have brought it out from wherever it was hiding…" the woman replied.

 

"Thank you so much Mom… I was worried sick about it." Well, that wasn't true, not fully. She hadn't even realized the book had disappeared until Ali had asked her about it the day before. But she had been worried about it after that point.

 

Her mother smiled. "Of course."

 

She looked down at the book, then at her mother again. "It was good timing in finding it, huh? With the baby coming…"

 

It wasn't like her mother was that far along, but still, this book was special to them.

 

"I think I'm going to read one first before we go. Is that okay?" Emma asked

 

"It's your day, Emma, you can do whatever you want. Just let us know when you're ready to go. We'll be downstairs."

 

"Thanks."

 

As her mother made her way back downstairs, Emma flipped the book open to the first story. The story of Snow White. It was a classic, so it made sense that she read it.

 

Although, there was something strange about the story. Snow White looked almost identical to Mary-Margaret. The prince looked like David. The dwarves all looked like various people she'd met in Storybrooke. It also wasn't the typical Disney movie. Snow White was a bandit and had to save the Prince from a band of ogres. She giggled a little at that. She liked that Snow White was a badass.

 

Then, she flipped the page once more and found a page with the Evil Queen.

 

And she looked just like Mayor Mills.

 

"Oh my God," she whispered as she continued to read, pulling the book closer to her. This couldn't be possible, could it? The characters in the book couldn't actually be the people she'd met in Storybrooke, right?

 

She flipped another page, after the grand kiss to wake up Snow White.

 

Their wedding, of course. The part that Disney ends on.

 

Why hadn't she wanted to pay that much attention to this book when her mother gave it to her at the start?

 

The Regina-looking Evil Queen returned, ruining the wedding and threatening a curse that would hurt people and bring them to a new world.

 

She kept reading.

 

Snow White was pregnant now, far along. Prince Charming was trying to console her fears about the curse. They went to a dungeon, to see Rumpelstiltskin for help in the curse. Their child – a daughter – would be the one that would break it.

 

A daughter named Emma.

 

The soon-to-be graduate's eyes widened, but still, she read on.

 

Then Snow White was giving birth. Too early, she thought to herself. They were supposed to go together, as a family! Baby Emma came into the world and was wrapped in a blanket.

 

A purple blanket, stitched with the name Emma on it.

 

Charming was running at the next page, the two of them having decided to send her off to break the curse. He kissed little Emma's forehead as guards attacked him again.

 

He passed out, and baby Emma was gone, and the curse took them all away.

 

_Emma._

_Emma_.

 

"Emma! Neal, Lacey, and Mr. Gold are here!" David suddenly called up, breaking Emma from her thoughts.

 

Emma's head snapped up from the book, the tassel bouncing in her face. "Coming!" she called back, shivering a little as she looked at the baby blanket that lay on the back of her desk chair, embroidered in purple, with the name Emma stitched into it.

 

Well, as much as she wanted to believe that she was a savior, the whole thing was so impossible, that she pushed the thoughts to the side as she made her way downstairs to the family members who were waiting below.

 

"Okay! Let's do pictures!" her mother squealed, grabbing her camera with a wide smile. "Emma and Neal first."

 

The familiar whirlwind of pictures commenced, with Emma and Neal, Emma and Mary-Margaret, Emma and David, Emma with both Mary-Margaret and David, and Emma by herself. With pictures done, the group headed to the high school, but as they passed by the ice cream shop, Emma paused when she saw Ingrid sitting at a table.

 

"You guys go on ahead…" she said softly. "I'll be right there."

 

"Are you sure Emma?" her mother asked with a small frown.

 

"I'm sure."

 

They frowned, but started heading toward the high school as Emma slipped into the shop.

 

"Ingrid."

 

The woman looked startled as she looked up at Emma. "Emma. What are you doing here?"

 

"I'm on my way to my graduation, and I saw you in here," Emma replied. "I wanted to invite you to the ceremony. It starts in two hours."

 

Ingrid blinked in surprise. "Y-you want me at your graduation ceremony?"

 

Emma nodded. "Even though you… pushed me in front of a car and asked me to do magic, you were still the only foster parent to care about me besides Mary-Margaret."

 

Ingrid's jaw dropped. "Oh Emma. You really think that?"

 

She nodded again as she turned to leave. "Yes Ingrid. I hope you can make it. But I have to go catch up with my parents and Neal. You can choose whether or not you want to come."

 

"Of course I'll be there Emma. I wouldn't miss it for the world."

 

As Emma smiled and nodded, leaving Any Given Sundae and catching up with her family as they finished the walk to the high school. Emma went off with the other graduates, and her family went to the football field.

 

* * *

 

 

Ingrid smoothed out her skirt as she made her way to the high school football field, her face pressed into a grim line as she looked around for Emma's family. It helped that Storybrooke was not a large town with hundreds of graduates in the senior class.

 

When she found the rest of Emma's family – she was disgusted that Rumpelstiltskin was now a part of that equation – she moved into the bleachers, sitting behind them, before leaning over to Emma's boyfriend.

 

"The Evil Queen is getting restless. I won't be surprised if she tries something soon. She's already reached back in time to get Snow White's poisoned apple," she whispered.

 

"What?" he whispered in shock as Regina entered the grounds. Ingrid sat back up and scooted away. There was no point in getting Regina suspicious. Ingrid knew that as far as Regina was aware, Ingrid was on the side of the Evil Queen.

 

Regina, naturally, was the guest of honor for the graduation ceremony. With the town being so small – not to mention cursed away from the rest of the world – it wasn't like the President of the United States was going to visit to give a speech.

 

The music began to play then, _Pomp and Circumstance_ beginning to waft through the speakers as the graduates, dressed in a mass of dark blue and white came out of the school.

 

She smiled a little when she spotted Emma, walking behind Victoria Beaumont. There were only seventy students graduating today. Which made sense given the small town.

 

"Today we celebrate the graduates of Storybrooke High School," Regina said as she stepped up to the podium. "I think I speak for everyone, from the staff and students to the parents, when I say congratulations graduates! Your years of dedication to your education has culminated in this happy, happy day." Ingrid noted the shiver that went through David Nolan. "A day where you can throw off the sins of the past, and start a fresh new path to the rest of your lives."

 

She paused to scan the crowd, who erupted into cheers.

 

Ingrid could only frown. If only these people knew what would happen if they tried to leave Storybrooke.

 

Regina stepped aside, and Principal Beaumont took a deep breath and began to speak. "It seems like just yesterday you had joined Storybrooke High School as freshmen, and now, you all are leaving as leaders who will change the world for the better."

 

The crowd and students cheered wildly at that, and Ingrid smiled. She saw princesses and princes in that crowd. Beaumont was right – they would be changing the world. But, hopefully, not the Land Without Magic.

 

"And now, Mr. Lin and Mrs. Segal will commence announcing the graduates," Beaumont said after the valedictorian – Ingrid recognized her as Rapunzel – spoke.

 

It moved quickly, Emma, perhaps, getting the biggest amount of cheers of them all, and soon, the graduates were tossing their caps in the air, signaling the end of the ceremony.

 

Ingrid stood, ready to leave as parents and family members of the graduates began heading down to the field to see their children.

 

"Ingrid, wait!" Mary-Margaret called.

 

She paused, turning back to the woman silently as she raised an eyebrow.

 

"Would you like to come back to our apartment with us? We're going to be having a small party for Emma's graduation," the woman explained. "It's nothing much, just family for now. Emma's friends will be coming over later on."

 

More surprises. Today was just full of them. Still, it was a good surprise at least, and Ingrid smiled. "Family?" she asked quietly. After everything, these people considered her to be family?

 

"Of course. Emma invited you here for a reason – because she thinks you are her family. It makes sense that you come with us to her graduation party."

 

Ingrid couldn't help but get some tears in her eyes. "Thank you, Mary-Margaret. I would like that a lot. Of course I'll be there."

 

"Fantastic! Emma will be thrilled."

 

Ingrid nodded a little as Emma ran over to them, hugging each of them tight, including Ingrid.

 

"I'm so glad you made it Ingrid," Emma said with a smile. "Did Mary-Margaret invite you back to the apartment?"

 

"Yes, she did. And I'll be there."

 

"Miss Swan?"

 

They all looked up, startled as Regina came over to them. She saw the instant distrust in Neal, Prince Charming, and Rumpelstiltskin.

 

"Oh, hello Mayor Mills. Is there something wrong?" Emma asked.

 

"Oh no, not at all. Not at all. I just thought I'd bring you a graduation gift of my own," the queen replied with a small smile as she held out a small container. "It's not much… but I thought you'd like a baked treat. It's an apple turnover."

 

Ingrid's eyes widened. Apple. Oh no.

 

"Apple? I love apple. Thank you so much," Emma replied, none the wiser.

 

"You're more than welcome. Congratulations, Miss Swan."

 

Emma was so innocent as she smiled, the group beginning to walk back to the apartment. Ingrid's heart ached at the thought of someone Emma loved getting hurt because of Regina. But it was going to happen, and, Gods willing, Emma would be able to break the curse.

 

She was tense as she took a seat in the small apartment, Neal, David and Rumpelstiltskin huddled around her as they whispered about what was going to happen. They all knew. The curse was going to break soon. Emma had gone upstairs to change out of her graduation gown. Lacey and Mary-Margaret had gone into the kitchen.

 

* * *

 

 

"Hey David! Do you want to split that turnover with me?" Emma called as she made her way back downstairs.

 

"Of course, Emma," David called back quickly.

 

She could hear whispering, but ignored it as David went over to the turnover and took it out of the container. But instead of cutting it in half like she expected him to, she watched him as he turned to her and took a bite, managing a couple of chews before he lost color in his face and promptly hit the floor, unconscious.


	23. Broken

The scream that tore through her was painful, but she ignored the pain as she ran over to David, her mother and Lacey following her.

 

"Neal, call 911, we have to get him to a hospital!" Emma cried, prying the turnover out of David's hand and throwing it on the table. "Nobody touch that!"

 

"He's still breathing," Lacey said as she held David's wrist and counted the beats, watching his chest rise and fall before turning and frowning when she noticed no one was running for a phone. Mr. Gold had even disappeared from the room. "Why isn't anyone calling for help? David could die!"

 

Emma's eyes widened. "Neal, don't you love me? What are you doing?!"

 

"Emma… this isn't something a doctor can fix. This is something only you can fix," Neal said, pressing his lips together.

  
"What are you talking about?" Emma asked, her mother holding David's hand and beginning to cry, a sound Emma never wanted to hear again.

 

"Isn't it strange, Miss Swan, that he passed out without any warning at all? As if some other force did something to him?" Mr. Gold suddenly asked, holding the book of fairy tales in his hand. "And the turnover was apple, as well. How strange, isn't it?"

 

Emma looked at him and nodded slowly. "It was almost like… like magic…" she whispered, hands shaking as she took the book into her hands, feeling a jolt as she was thrust into… well, she didn't know what it was, but what she'd read only two hours before, she suddenly was seeing with her own eyes.

 

Mayor Mills giving her mother a poisoned apple. Her mother refusing a drink from King George and saving her grandmother from death with Lancelot and David's help. The wedding. The threat of the curse. Her mother and David working with Maleficent, Cruella de Vil and Ursula in an attempt to stop it. Her _birth_. David – her _father_ \- bringing her to the wardrobe and begging her to find them and help them.

 

It was real. It was all real.

 

She gasped and dropped the book, shaking terribly as she looked at Mr. Gold.

 

"What do I do?" she whispered.

 

Mr. Gold looked at her father, passed out on the floor, and gave her a small smile. "What did your father do for your mother in the story, Miss Swan?"

 

"He kissed her."

 

The man nodded. "True Love's Kiss can break any curse. And as you are the savior…"

 

"Savior? Curse? What are you talking about?" her mother – Snow White – asked.

 

That was Snow White talking. And that must have been _Belle_ (Working at the library. Why hadn't Emma realized that before?) next to her.

 

"All will be revealed in a moment. Miss Swan, it's up to you," Mr. Gold replied.

 

Emma nodded nervously and fell to her knees in front of David, tears in her eyes. "David – dad – I'm so sorry. You took that curse for me to get me to understand what was going on. And now… now I have to do this. Just like you did for mom."

 

She was shaking now, terribly so.

 

"I love you Dad," she whispered, leaning down to press a kiss to his forehead. As soon as her lips touched his forehead, there was a burst of something that flew out from them.

 

Her father's eyes opened, and he took a deep breath as he sat up, staring at Emma with a smile. "You saved me… I knew you would."

 

"You saved all of us…" her mother said from behind her. Emma turned, startled at the change in tone her mother's voice had taken. It was still sweet and kind, but there was a new sort of power behind it. Royal. Regal.

 

The woman sobbed then, pulling Emma into a tight hug. "You found us…"

 

Emma wrapped her arms around her mother, shaking. Her father was okay, her mother was too, and the curse that had taken everyone from the Enchanted Forest was broken.

 

"I knew you could do it Emma…" Neal said softly, smiling at her.

 

Emma blinked, then stared at her boyfriend. "You knew? You knew this whole time?"

 

He nodded as Emma pulled herself from her mother's arms. "How? I – I don't understand."

 

Neal sucked air in through his teeth – a nervous gesture as he pointed to Mr. Gold. "You know August?"

 

She nodded.

 

"August… came to me one day right after I met you when we were running from Ingrid. He told me who you were. He tried to get Ali and I to leave you to your own devices. You weren't even supposed to come here until you were twenty-eight."

 

"Twenty-eight?" she questioned, staring. "And wait, he told you to leave me?"

 

He nodded. "But Ali's wife was here. And we knew we shouldn't keep you from your parents for another ten years."

 

"Wife?"

 

"Ali… is Aladdin."

 

Aladdin. Of course he was. It made sense – he'd checked into Granny's as Ali Ababwa. "And August?" she questioned.

 

"He's Pinocchio. He claimed to be your guardian angel or something."

 

"He did a terrible job if he tried to encourage you to leave her," Ingrid suddenly said. Emma had almost forgotten she was there.

 

"Who are you then?" she asked.

 

"Don't worry, my name is Ingrid. But my story isn't as well-known in this world. I am the Snow Queen. Former Queen of a kingdom called Arendelle."

 

"Arendelle? So you're – "

 

The door banged open, cutting off what her mother was saying. Ruby and Mei Lin standing in the doorway. Emma could see Granny's hair in the background.

 

"SNOW!"

 

"Red! Mulan!"

 

A sob escaped Red Riding Hood as she embraced Emma's mother, who was also tearful. Following Granny into the small apartment could only have been the dwarves… who barely looked like dwarves in Emma's opinion. But still.

 

"Your majesty," Leroy said, leading the dwarves in a bow toward her parents.

 

"My dear friends…" her mother replied, embracing them in a group hug. "I'm so glad that all of you are okay."

 

"And yourself as well, Queen Snow," Leroy said,  looking at Emma. "Princess Emma."

 

"Please don't bow," she said, noticing their torso's beginning to tilt. They stopped immediately.

 

That was going to take some getting used to.

 

Frantic footsteps could be heard over the joyous sounds of reunion, and Dr. Hopper burst into the apartment.

 

"Queen Snow, King James, I hate to interrupt but… well, the town's gone mad!"

 

Her mother frowned. "Mad? What do you mean, Jiminy?"

 

"They… they're after Regina. It's a mob. They want to kill her!"

 

"Great," Leroy muttered. "Let's watch."

 

"No, let's not do that," her mother replied. "There's a lot we don't know about the curse. Regina is needed alive."

 

"And then can we watch them kill her?" Leroy asked as the group made their way out the door.

 

"No."

 

\-----

 

Regina couldn't help but walk with a sense of pride back to her home after speaking at the graduation. With the apple turnover now with Emma Swan, she knew things would finally go back to normal. Though there was a new baby in Snow White, Regina had a feeling that she could take care of everything.

 

She couldn't wait to get home to Lily. With time moving (the only thing Emma Swan had been good for lately), Lily was beginning to grow older, and would soon be learning how to crawl, and Regina was excited to see it.

 

All of those thoughts came crashing down though, when a burst of light moved through the town, the inhabitants at once blinking and putting their hands on their heads, as if they had a massive headache.

 

No.

 

Regina paled when she realized what had happened. The curse was broken.

 

"THERE SHE IS! THERE'S REGINA!" someone shouted. Regina didn't even bother to turn to see who it was. Instead, she made a beeline for her home.

 

How could the curse have broken so soon? It had only been seventeen years. This was supposed to last twenty-eight – or, really, permanently was the ideal goal, but regardless… it shouldn't have been seventeen.

 

Slamming the door shut, she leaned against it with relief. They hadn't been able to catch her. Thank the gods.

 

"Well well well… if it isn't my little sister."

 

Regina cursed herself for not realizing that Zelena – Bellatrix, as she'd been known in this world – would be in her home. She'd been babysitting Lily while Regina had been at the graduation.

 

Shit.

 

Turning slowly on her heels, Regina stared into the face of her elder sister.

 

"Zelena. Where is my daughter?"

 

"Oh, _finally_ , I've missed hearing that name," her sister said in a dramatic tone. "Oh wait – no, I haven't, because I haven't known who I am for the last twenty-eight years! And don't worry about the girl. She's upstairs taking a nap for her favorite auntie."

 

"Seventeen."

 

Zelena seemed temporarily confused, but snapped out of it. "Regardless. It seems like you're in a mess, dear sister. I'm sure the people in this town aren't that happy about what's happened," she said with a casual shrug.

 

"What do you want, Zelena?"

 

"I want to know who that darling Lily belongs to. She certainly isn't yours, considering I was with you every miserable day of this curse and not once were you pregnant, especially since time has been frozen until those three strangers came to town. Not to mention the day you cast the curse, you were not pregnant."

 

Regina grit her teeth. "Why should I tell you? I can see it in your eyes, Zelena. You are just as angry as that mob outside."

 

"Oh, and here I thought you wanted me to help keep you safe from those that want your head."

 

She frowned. "How can you possibly keep me safe? No one has magic here and the mob will be able to find me."

 

Zelena clicked her teeth and shook her head. "Now now, Regina, don't be so naïve. While I was strapped to your side for most of this curse, I was, at some points, free to do what I wanted to do. And so I explored, especially when I was babysitting darling Lily."

 

"Explored?" Regina asked, wincing as there was a loud thud against the door.

 

"Yes. And it just so happens that there's a passage in this house that leads underground."

 

Regina swallowed thickly. Zelena should not have been able to discover that. "Fine. Take me there. Hide me."

 

"Gladly, sister."

 

There was something about Zelena's smile that had Regina distrusting her, but knowing what her other option was, well, Regina relented, following her sister into the passage under her house.

 

"So tell me, Regina. Who does baby Lily belong to?" Zelena asked again. Regina opened her mouth to reply before a giant roar interrupted them.

 

Regina froze in place. So did Zelena, before the red-haired witch turned on her heel and stared at her sister. "Was that a dragon?"

 

She could only manage a nod.

 

"Who is it, Regina?"

 

Regina looked beyond her sister, down the empty hallway. "You said you wanted to know who Lily's mother was."

 

"Regina… is that Maleficent?"

 

Regina said nothing. Zelena stared in horror. They were trapped between two difficult options: Run toward the fire-spitting dragon, or run toward the crowd that was banging down the front door.

 

No, she was on her own for this one, because when Regina turned back toward the entrance to the tunnel, Zelena had disappeared.


	24. Dragon Lady

Snow was pale as they ran through the town, watching as more and more people reunited with loved ones. They needed to stop those that were trying to kill Regina. She knew, of course, that Regina had done a terrible thing, one Snow didn't think she would ever forgive her step-mother for, but she did not want to see the woman be murdered. Not yet. Not until they were sure they were able to get home.

 

Home. Her heart ached for the Enchanted Forest. For the trees and the mountains and the –

 

"DRAGON!" Emma screamed as there was a large crash sound coming from the direction of the mines, and a large black dragon soared into the air – in their direction.

 

In the distance, Snow could see the crowd that had been gathered in front of Regina's front door had scattered in fear at the dragon.

 

"Maleficent," Charming whispered. "So that's where she's been. Right under the mines at all times."

 

Snow stared, horrified. "That must have been what caused the earthquake. She was trying to escape!"

 

Maleficent soared overhead, and it was then that Snow noticed that she had something in her claws.

 

"REGINA!" she screamed. "Maleficent has Regina!"

 

"Go Maleficent!" Grumpy shouted. Snow could only roll her eyes as the group turned and ran in the direction Maleficent was flying in.

 

"Wait a second. Where did your dad and Belle go?" Emma suddenly asked, looking at Neal.

 

"Usually I would be concerned about this but at the moment, I think we have to worry about finding Maleficent," Neal replied. "Before she eats Regina."

 

Snow shuddered and nodded in agreement as they ran for the forest. Snow was thankful that Maleficent was so huge that they could see her land for the most part.

 

"Wait. Papa? What are you doing?" Neal asked. It was then that Snow noticed Rumpelstiltskin holding a bottle near the wishing well.

 

"Don't worry Bae. It will all be made clear soon. And poor Maleficent will actually be able to speak," Rumpelstiltskin replied, dropping the vial into the well.

 

"Rumpelstiltskin, is that – "

 

"What I asked you to deposit all those years ago, dearie," the imp replied with a nod. "Luckily for me, Maleficent was kind enough to cough it back up before the curse broke."

 

Purple fog began spilling from the well, creeping along the forest floor like vines.

 

"Rumpel… what is it?" Belle asked.

 

"Magic, of course."

 

Magic. Snow could feel it in the air, beginning to crackle and spark around them, like it did in the Enchanted Forest. Snow hadn't noticed that anything was missing, but now… now that it was back, she noticed it tenfold.

 

Maleficent and her roar began to quiet, shrinking down, down, down, until the witch stood in front of Regina, a glare on her face.

 

"Friend. You think that's how you treat a friend, Regina? Kidnapping their child while you cast a curse?" Maleficent said slowly. "And then, keeping me locked up under a library with my full memories of what happened?"

 

"I could have killed you. I could have left her in an orphanage alone," Regina said. "But I didn't, and I took care of her while you were cursed."

 

Snow's heart ached for Maleficent. They'd tried so hard to protect their children, and they both failed. Maleficent and Snow had been betrayed by someone they thought they could trust.

 

"Where is my daughter?" Maleficent growled.

 

" _My_ daughter is at home waiting for me with my sister."

 

Maleficent stormed at Regina, grabbing her by the throat. Snow let out a small gasp and put a hand to her mouth. She knew, oh yes she knew, that Regina deserved to pay for what happened, but there was still a part of her that didn't want to see Regina hurt.

 

"Maleficent, please wait," Snow said. "We have to figure out a way to get back to the Enchanted Forest. Locked up for her safety, and more importantly, for ours."

 

The dragon paused, looking over at Snow. " _You_ want to save her life?"

 

Snow shook her head a little. "Until we get home, yes. But I know how you're feeling, Maleficent. This is Emma…"

 

She felt Emma stiffen behind her, and Maleficent's eyes widened. "Emma. This is your daughter? But you – you look so young. No offence. I thought you were going with her to this world."

 

"There was no time. We had to send Emma alone and we missed out on almost eighteen _years_ of Emma's life. But you don't have to. What you missed out on was horrible, I won't deny that, but you have _time_ , Maleficent. Killing Regina won't change anything, but now you have a chance to raise your daughter."

 

She could see the anger that was still in Maleficent's gaze (not that Snow could blame her), but it was beginning to soften, and Maleficent dropped her grip from Regina's throat to her shoulder, holding her in place without the strangulation.

 

"Grumpy and will take her to Graham," Charming volunteered, grabbing both of Regina's wrists. "Why don't the rest of you go to Lily so Maleficent can be reunited with her daughter?"

 

"I would rather it only be Snow White," Maleficent said.

 

"Whatever you wish, Maleficent," Charming said with a nod, he and Grumpy beginning to lead Regina back toward the town.

 

"Mom… what do you want me to do?" Emma asked quietly, still a little pale.

 

Snow smiled and placed her hands on Emma's shoulders. "I want you to go enjoy your graduation day as we'd planned before the curse broke. Your friends should be at the apartment soon, right?"

 

"I – yeah, right," Emma said with a nod. "Right. Thanks Mom." Snow could see the relief in her eyes, so she kissed Emma's forehead and watched as she left with Neal and the others before turning back to Maleficent.

 

"I can't imagine what it was like to have to give Emma up," the dragon said as they made their way to Regina's home.

 

Snow nodded slowly. "I don't ever want to re-live that pain. But she… she got here early. It was supposed to be twenty-eight years. But she's only seventeen."

 

"At least you know she's punctual."

 

Snow scoffed in amusement and nodded her head slightly. "Yes, I suppose so."

 

"Being punctual is always becoming for a future queen."

 

"Providing Emma wants that life for herself… she's so adjusted to what she had here that – "

 

"Seventeen years without her parents though, Snow?" Maleficent questioned as they approached the door. "And a sibling?"

 

"How did you – "

 

"I can see it in your face."

 

She could only smile a little as they stood at the front door of Regina's house. It seemed much bigger than it usually did, Snow realized, and she was worried. Zelena was the former Wicked Witch. And with magic back in town, Snow wasn't sure what side of Zelena they would be encountering – the meek and timid cursed version that Mary-Margaret Blanchard had gotten along with, or the witch that nearly destroyed Oz?

 

Maleficent didn't waste time knocking as she entered the house, Snow following behind her.

 

"Ah, there she is," Zelena said with a small smirk. "The famous Maleficent. Regina told me so much about you."

 

"Where is she? Where is my daughter?" Maleficent asked, ignoring the remark from the witch.

 

"Don't worry, she's upstairs sleeping. I only just got her to go down for a nap, since her birth mummy frightened her by escaping from her prison that she'd been in for almost two decades," Zelena replied. "So, tell me, what's the fate of my sister?"

 

"She's in jail. Charming took her."

 

"With magic back in the world? You are brave to do that," Zelena replied. "Why, if I wanted to, I could fry you up right now…"

 

Snow stepped back, eyes wide as Zelena held up her hand, and the three women anticipated the fireball that they all knew was imminent.

 

But… it should have been instant. As soon as Zelena held out her hands. Snow knew that well, having been on the run from Regina for so long. But nothing happened.

 

"Huh. I suppose magic isn't working properly," Zelena said with a shrug. "Perhaps you aren't in danger after all." Turning to Maleficent, Zelena smiled a little. "I'm happy that Lily will know her birth mother. But, despite the curse, Regina does love her. I hope you know that."

 

"Regardless, she kidnapped my child. Though I suppose I should be grateful that she was loved."

 

A cry erupted just then.

 

"Your daughter awaits," Zelena said with a small smile.

 

Snow looked over at Maleficent, who seemed nervous.

 

"Go on," Snow said, putting a hand on her shoulder. "She's your daughter and she needs her mother."

 

Maleficent nodded slowly. "Thank you Snow."

 

Snow watched Maleficent ascend the stairs, and after a moment, Lily's cries became nothing more than soft whimpers.

 

* * *

 

 

"The curse is broken. Why didn't we go back?" Charming asked as he stared at his stepmother-in-law through dark blue eyes.

 

"Because there's nothing to go back to. That land is gone," Regina replied, looking at Graham over his shoulder with a wary look.

 

No. That couldn't be true. Their land couldn't be gone, could it?

 

"Fine, if you won't tell us a way to get home, then tell us where my heart is," Graham said, crossing his arms and leaning against a desk. "I think it's high time I get that back, don't you?"

 

Regina growled low in her throat, staring at Graham with angry dark eyes. "Fine. The heart is in my desk drawer at city hall."

 

Graham was missing his heart? How horrible. Charming had thought that something had been wrong when he met him – how he hadn't been able to escape with him, the fear that had been in his eyes when he'd helped Charming escape from Regina's palace to begin with.

 

"How do we get it back into his chest?" Charming asked.

 

"Take it to someone who can do magic," Regina said. Charming could tell she was defeated. Good. He wanted her to look like that. He wanted her to be defeated, just like she'd been after the war in the Enchanted Forest.

 

Only this time, it was going to be forever. He would never allow Regina to have freedom ever again after this.

 

"Grumpy, why don't you go with Graham here to get his heart? Take it to Rumpelstiltskin, I'm sure he's someone that's able to deal with hearts," Charming said.

 

Graham shook his head. "Your majesty, I think it would be best if I went alone. It has been so long since I've seen my heart after all… and she probably needs more than one guard."

 

Charming nodded slowly. "Very well my friend. Good luck."

 

"Thank you," Graham said softly as he left the station.

 

Regina scoffed from behind bars. "I can't believe I'm a prisoner now."

 

"Again," he corrected, sitting on the edge of the desk. "But this time, you aren't getting out, Regina. We _will_ find a way back to the Enchanted Forest."

 

"I already told you, shepherd. The Enchanted Forest is gone."

 

"Why should he believe anything you say, Regina? Now that I think about it, why should anyone?" another voice said from the doorway. Rumpelstiltskin walked in, carrying himself with the familiar air of confidence.

 

"What are you talking about, Rumpel?" Regina asked, rolling her eyes in annoyance.

 

"If you were to destroy the Enchanted Forest, then those of us from the Enchanted Forest, which would be everyone in this town, would have died during your curse, not been cursed to this life. Of course the Enchanted Forest still exists."

 

Charming stared at the man. "Then how do we get back there?" he asked.

 

"Ahh…" Rumpelstiltskin said, tapping his fingers together. "That is the complicated thing, your majesty. The only way we will return to the Enchanted Forest is due to… the child of the savior." He didn't look like he wanted to say the words, and Charming didn't blame him.

 

"What?! But Emma's only – "

 

"I know. But remember, the curse was supposed to be broken when she was twenty-eight. A normal age for a woman to have a child, no? Now that the curse broke early, there's no telling when it might happen."

 

"So what do we do until then?" Charming asked. His head was spinning at the thought of Emma having a child of her own. She seemed much too young for that. He seemed too young to be a grandfather. Especially with the new baby he and Snow would be having…

 

"Ah – and your majesty, I wouldn't try to strangle anyone with your magic. It's different here. More erratic," Rumpelstiltskin said suddenly. Charming looked over to see Regina's arms frozen in the too-familiar stance she would use to strangle the life out of people.

 

"Worth it," Regina hissed, shoving her hands toward Grumpy. The three men braced themselves for the impact…

 

But nothing happened.

 

Rumpelstiltskin chuckled. "I warned you. Magic is different here, dearie."


	25. Hook

"You're Belle. Nose-stuck-in-a-book, friends with a candelabra, a tea cup and his mother a tea pot and clock _Belle_ ," Emma said as she stared in shock.

"Well… Rumpelstiltskin didn't have any talking objects in his house, but yes. I am Belle," the brunette replied with a shrug. "Although he did keep the chipped cup I broke my first night in his castle…"

Emma wasn't sure she wanted to know at this point. All she _had_ wanted to do was graduate high school, think about college, and be with her parents and boyfriend. She hadn't wanted to break a curse or discover that her parents and the people in her town were characters in a storybook… and that she was a lost princess.

But still… at least her father had just been cursed instead of killed by that apple tart. Emma would always be grateful for that.

"Okay so… I broke a curse, which returned the memories of fairy tale characters to them. This town is filled with them… and you two knew this whole time?" Emma asked, staring at Neal and Ingrid, who were sitting on the couch in the small apartment. Her friends would be here soon she knew, but she wanted to get this straight in her head first.

"Why else would I have pushed you in front of a car, Emma? I wanted to see your magic working on something that wasn't a ridiculous claw game," Ingrid replied.

Emma stared at her. "I'm sorry, what? The only reason I won that teddy bear was because of magic?"

"You don't remember the burst of light that came out of the game just as you pressed the button to lower it down?" Ingrid asked.

Emma didn't respond to that as she looked at Neal. "And you?"

"My father is Rumpelstiltskin, also known as the Dark One. When I was thirteen years old, I wanted to get a fresh start in a land without magic, the thing that was corrupting him. But… when I found a way to this world, instead of coming with me he…" Neal cut off, and Emma could see the pain in his face. "He let me go. He dropped me down a portal to a world that I didn't know."

"This world…" Emma whispered.

"Yes. But… I wasn't here for very long at first. I sacrificed myself for the people that took me in, and went to Neverland. It's not what you think it is. At all. But then I managed to escape it and that's when I ended up in Chicago. I didn't have a name, social security number… nothing. So I lied and made up a whole new identity. I couldn't find a job because I didn't have any education so that's why… that's why I went to stealing. It was the only way I could figure out how to survive."

Emma could only stare as Neal told his heartbreaking tale. "So… what… what's your name?"

"Baelfire. The name I had back in the Enchanted Forest was Baelfire. That's why you'll hear my father call me 'Bae' sometimes."

That explained it.

"And you both knew the entire time that I was this savior?" she asked.

Neal and Ingrid nodded.

"Why didn't you guys tell me?" Emma asked, frowning at the two of them. She felt partially betrayed, but she supposed she couldn't be too angry she supposed. at least she was here, reunited with her family.

"You weren't exactly happy to see Ingrid when she first arrived to town, and to be fair, how would it sound if I told you that you were the savior to a bunch of fairy tale characters, and that Snow White and Prince Charming were your birth parents, and not two idiots who left you on the side of the road?" Neal questioned, shrugging casually.

She frowned a little. He was right. It would have sounded ridiculous.

"Okay. So now Mom wants me to enjoy the day like I haven't done all that," Emma said with a sigh.

"You don't have to do that if you feel uncomfortable with it, Emma. When people start showing up I'll tell them to head back home…" Neal offered with a small frown.

Looking up, Emma could only smile a little. "Really?"

Neal nodded.

"Thanks Neal…"

He reached for her hand, and she let him take it, squeezing it gently. "You aren't going to go through this alone, Emma."

A knock broke her from her thoughts. Taking a deep breath, Emma opened it to find Sierra and Victoria standing there.

"Oh Emma! We're so glad you're okay! We weren't sure what happened when we got all our memories back!" Sierra said with a large sigh of relief.

"Uh. About that," Emma said, pulling out of the hug Victoria had pulled her into. "It broke… because of me."

Sierra stared, and Emma could see a subtle change in her face, like she'd done with her mother. It must have been her fairy tale persona shining through.

"You're Snow's daughter."

Emma could only nod, dumbfounded.

"Oh – I'm sorry, I'm sure this is all really overwhelming for you. My husband's parents sent troops to help her when she was fighting Queen Regina and King George."

"Husband? You're married?" Emma asked, eyes widening.

"Mhm. His name is Naveen. He wanted to come with me but he's also trying to track down our subjects."

Royalty talk was all a foreign language to Emma, so she simply nodded as if she understood. "So… what's your name then?"

"Tiana. And Charlotte," she added, gesturing to the blonde.

"Charlotte La Bouff at your service!" Charlotte chirped.

"Okay.." Emma said. "What story are you from then?"

"Oh…" Sierra – Tiana, whatever her name was – said, frowning a little as she tried to think. "I guess it'd be The Princess and the Frog. But the story here is about as right as the story of your parents. Lost cut out and missing. And that's not important anyhow, Emma. What is important is that you're safe."

"Yeah, for one, they're missing the most important person of all. Me," Victoria – Charlotte – whatever it was – said with a wide smile.

Emma returned the smile. "How could someone leave you out of a story?" she said with a laugh, slowly relaxing. It seemed that just because they were fairy tale characters, things didn't have to change with their relationship.

"Exactly! See Tia? I knew Emma would understand!" Charlotte said, ribbing Tiana with a wide grin.

"That's because she doesn't know the full story, Lotte," Tiana shot back as she dropped into a chair, before her face turned into a small frown. "It's weird to think that if there hadn't been a curse, I would be closer to your mom's age than yours."

"Don't remind me," Emma said with a small smile.

"Are you doing alright Emma? I'm sure this is all a huge change for you," Tiana said. "I mean, everyone's trying to find their loved ones and we're all… fairy tale characters."

Emma exhaled a little and nodded a little. "Yeah, I'm okay," she said. "You're right, it's a huge change, especially considering how quickly it's all happened but… I'm okay. I have my parents, I have Neal. I have you guys. And I mean… it's nice to know that my parents didn't dump me on the side of the road because they didn't want me. They did, but a curse was going to rip us apart anyway… they did what they thought was best."

"That probably saved your life…" Charlotte said. "Who knows what Regina would do to you. She hated Snow so badly. Even I was a victim of her cruelty."

"You what?!" Tiana asked.

"Why do you think I wasn't wiring to you after I left Orleans, Tia? Regina kidnapped me, but I was broken out before the curse hit."

"Kidnapped?"

Charlotte nodded. "And I wasn't the only one. There was another girl there. Her name was Belle. We were both saved by a man named Killian Jones."

"Jones. Jones was the one that helped you?" Neal suddenly said from the couch. When Emma caught his gaze, his normally calm eyes were wide with a mix of rage and fear, and she could see his chest rising and falling as his breathing increased.

"Well… yeah. It was so sweet of him to break us out of there."

Neal seemed to get pale, something that had Emma alarmed.

"Neal, what's wrong?"

"I just… I need to take a walk by myself. I'll be back later Emma, I promise."

Emma could only stare as he walked out the door.

* * *

 

Hook was here. Hook was _here_.

Though Neal knew he was over 300 years old, the pain of what Hook had done to him was still fresh in his mind. It was all Hook's fault that his mother was dead. Hook had sold him out to Pan. Hook had prevented him from being able to get out of Neverland until six years ago.

Now Hook was back here, and it sent fear and anger down Neal's spine.

He didn't know where to find him, but Neal had a feeling that he would be near water, so he made his way down to the docks.

"Can I help you, lad?"

The voice sent chills down his spine. Neal spun on his heels, locking eyes with the man who had ruined his life. Hook (although he was lacking a hook and had an actual prosthetic hand in this world) was looking at him in confusion.

"You haven't changed a bit," Neal replied with a scowl.

Hook frowned, his eyes searching for a hint, a whisper, of familiarity in Neal's face. "Sorry, do I know you?"

Neal stood tall, fists clenched much like they were all those years ago when Hook sold him to a demon who refused to grow up. "Name's Neal. But I used to be called Baelfire."

Realization seemed to strike then, and Hook's blue eyes widened with horror.

"Baelfire. You're alive." Hook seemed genuinely amazed at this news, and Neal couldn't help but be slightly offended.

"I am. No thanks to you." He couldn't believe the son of a bitch was here.

"How? How did you escape Neverland? Pan never lets anyone off the island, you know that as well as I."

Neal scoffed. "I could ask the same of you. Or perhaps not considering you were Pan's lapdog after you sold me out to him. I wouldn't be surprised if you managed to worm your way out of Neverland."

"Baelfire, I know – "

"It's Neal."

He'd slowly warmed up to his father calling him Baelfire again, but he'd be damned if Hook was going to call him that.

Hook sighed. "Neal. I know I've made a mistake with you. But I've changed."

"Changed. How much can a _pirate_ change? Saving women one time can't be the only good thing you do. Especially after you abandoned me. I am Milah's son. I thought you loved my mother. I thought you would have accepted me when my father didn't. But I was _wrong_ , Hook. You left me to fend for myself for Pan of all people, after I said one bad thing when I was _fourteen_. I didn't think it could get any worse with what my father did, but where I ended up after my father dropped me down a portal was nothing compared to where I ended up after you sold me out to Pan. I swear to God if I see you around Emma, you're getting tossed in that water with a dumbbell attached to your ankle," Neal said.

He was grateful that his father's girlfriend was no longer locked up in some cage somewhere, but still, Hook saving her didn't mean anything to him.

"Neal… I know I messed up. Please, tell me what I can do it make it up to you."

"I don't know what you can do, Hook. Okay? Just show me personally that you've changed.'' He didn't know what that meant but…

"Whenever you figure out what that is, I want you to let me know, okay? Whatever it is, I'll do it and prove to you how much I've changed," Hook said with a sigh.

Neal could only shrug as he felt his cell phone beginning to go off. Emma's number. Heart sinking, he lifted the phone to his ear, hearing frantic chatter in the background before he could even speak.

"Emma, what's the matter?" he asked.

"No, it's not Emma. It's Tiana. But I'm calling about Emma."

His heart stopped. Someone else using Emma's phone while there was chaos in the background could not be a good thing. He noticed a look of alarm on Hook's face, but he ignored it for the moment.

"What's the matter? Where's Emma?" he asked, his own voice taking on a worried tone.

"She's in the bathroom. Ingrid is with her. She got sick almost as soon as you left, but she hasn't really gotten better. Charlotte ran to the store to get her some medication but she wanted me to call you to let you know what had happened."

"Did you call her parents?" he asked with a frown.

"Yes. They're on their way."

"Okay. Okay. I'll be there soon."

"We'll see you soon. Bye."

Neal hung up the phone with shaking hands. How could Emma have gotten so sick so quickly? It didn't make any sense to him.

"Let me give you a ride to where this Emma lives. You're in no condition to drive yourself," Hook said quietly.

"I didn't drive here. I walked," Neal replied, not looking at him.

"Regardless, Neal. Let me drive you. Driving is much faster than walking."

Neal exhaled, shaking a little. The thought of Emma being ill was something that scared him, but the thought of Hook being anywhere near her scared him too. Still… what choice did he have at this point?

"Fine. Where's your car?"

Hook led him to the car, and in what felt like an instant, they were back at Emma's parents apartment. Neal saw the shadows of her parents rushing up the stairs, and quickly followed. He didn't care that he could hear Hook behind him.

When he burst into the apartment, he saw Ingrid, looking a little pale, and Belle standing next to Tiana and Charlotte, all three of whom looked worried.

"Emma, what happened?" he could hear Snow ask from the loft bedroom.

"I… I want Neal first," Emma's small voice came from the bed.

"I'm here, Emma," he said as he rushed upstairs, spotting Snow rubbing Emma's hair, Charming standing dutifully next to the bed.

Neal rushed over to the bed and sat next to her, taking her hand in his. "Oh Emma… what is it? What's wrong?"

"I… I'm pregnant."

Neal went white.


End file.
